A single oral dose of 1.25 ml kg(-1) of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) was sufficient to induce significantly elevated levels of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) together with signs of acute centrilobular necrosis and fatty accumulation in liver tissue. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in different dosages (2750 mg kg(-1), 5500 mg kg(-1) and 8250 mg kg(-1); dissolved in saline) were screened for their potential activity against CCl(4)-induced liver injury in Sprague-Dawley rats. The results showed that post-administration of high dosages (5500 mg kg(-1) and 8250 mg kg(-1)) of DMSO-saline solution significantly reduced CCl(4)-induced acute elevation in the levels of SGPT and SGOT. The same result was observed in histopathological study of liver tissue. DMSO, in high doses, probably prevented CCl(4)-induced liver injury through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or microsomal enzyme arresting properties.