Effect of Drinking Desalinated Seawater on Liver Synthetic Function and Bilirubin Metabolism in Rats

Objectives To observe the effect of drinking desalinated seawater on liver synthetic function and bilirubin metabolism in rats.

Methods Important liver function indexes, such as serum albumin (ALB), cholinesterase (CHE), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL) of Wistar rats drinking tap water (control group) or desalinated seawater (test group) for 0, 90, 180 and 365 d, were analyzed by automatic biochemical analyzer.

Results The activity of ALP in rats drinking desalinated seawater at the start (0 d) was high, and it was dropped sharply at the 90^th day of the experiment (P ＜0.05), and no obvious change of ALP was observed in the later time. No obvious difference of TBIL was found between the control group and the test group. Serum ALB and the activity of CHE of female rats drinking desalinated seawater for one year was lower than the control group (P＜0.05). Serum ALB of male rats drinking desalinated seawater for 180 d was lower than the control group (P＜0.05).

Conclusions The influence of drinking desalinated seawater on the activity of ALP in female rats might be related to the change of estrogen, which might be associated with the mechanism of bone metabolism. It could be considered that the activity of serum CHE of rats drinking desalinated seawater for a long time might be reduced, and no influence on TBIL of rats.