Tissue acetylsalicylic acid esterase activity in rats with acute and chronic liver damage from carbon-tetrachloride and ethanol.

The hydrolysis of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in vivo by serum and various tissues of rats with experimentally produced acute and chronic toxic liver damage, was estimated by spectrophotometric measurement of salicylic acid (SA) appearance. It was inferred from the data obtained that the liver tissue helped to maintain normal ASA esterase activity in the blood which would otherwise be affected by liver damage.