EFFECTS OF CHRONIC INTAKE OF ETHANOL ON RATE OF ETHANOL METABOLISM

Abstract

In two separate studies of 6 and 12 weeks duration, adult male rats of the Wistar strain received ethanol in a total daily dose of about 9 g/kg. Growth rate was the same as that of glucose-treated controls. In comparison with controls of comparable weight, ethanol-treated rats showed significant increases in liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LAD) activity at all times after the first 2 weeks, but no significant change in catalase activity. The rate of disappearance of ethanol from the blood after a test dose was also significantly increased in the chronically treated rats, and the increase was initially comparable to that found in LAD activity. Later, the rate of ethanol disappearance rose more than could be explained by increased LAD activity. Normal male rats showed higher liver catalase activity than did normal females, but did not differ in LAD activity, which was higher at 9–10 weeks of age than in older or younger animals. It is suggested that failure of some investigators to find an alcohol-induced increase in LAD activity may be due to different responses by males and females.