Effect of Toluene Application to Skin on the Enhancement of Liver Injury in $CCl_4$-Pretreated Rats

To evaluate an effect of toluene application to skin on the enhancement of liver damage in $CCl_4$-pretreated rats, toluene (35 mg/$cm^2$) was sequentially applied for 5 days to the skin of liver damaged rats with $CCl_4$ (6 times every other day: 0.1 ml/100 g body weight-50% $CCl_4$ in olive oil) On the basis of the functional and morphological findings in rat liver, appling toluene to the skin in liver damaged animals led to the more enhanced liver damage. In addition, by applying toluene to skin of liver damaged rats, the hepatic cytochrome P450 content was somewhat more increased, but the hepatic benzylalcohol dehydrogenase activity was significantly decreased (P<0.001), whereas benzaldehyde dehydrogenase activity was not statistically changed. In conclusion, the toluene application to skin in liver-damaged rat led to enhancement of liver injury that may be due to the accumulation of toluene metabolite in liver.