Effects of steroid drugs on some chemical constituents of the liver of hamsters infected with schistosoma mansoni II Glucocorticoid

ABSTRACT

Betamethasone [9 alpha-fluoro-16 beta-methyl-prednisolone] was administered orally [20 ug/100 g/day for 7 days] to normal and Schistosoma mansoni infected hamsters. The drug increased the liver weight in normal hamsters, but no such effect was seen in infected animals. A decrease in the proteins content of liver was noted in both normal and infected hamsters after Betamethasone treatment. Also, a decrease in the hepatic lipids content was evident in infected hamsters but not in normals. In normal and infected hamsters treated with Betamethasone, there was no change in hepatic contents of water, glycogen and succinate dehydrogenase activity