EFFECTS OF CHRONIC INTAKE OF ETHANOL ON RATE OF ETHANOL METABOLISM: II. INFLUENCE OF SEX AND OF SCHEDULE OF ETHANOL ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

Groups of adult Wistar rats were treated for up to 2 months with ethanol in a total daily dose of 9–12 g/kg, according to one of three different schedules of administration: (a) gavage, with a gradual stepwise increase in dosage, plus additional ethanol in the drinking water; (b) inclusion of ethanol in a liquid diet, with 36% of the calories as ethanol; (c) gavage with large intoxicating doses from the beginning of the experiment. Control animals received equicaloric amounts of sucrose in place of ethanol. Both male and female rats were used in schedule a, but only males in b and c. All three groups showed significant increases in liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity, and males and females responded alike. The increase was smallest and the variations greatest on schedule c. Liver lactic dehydrogenase activity was not affected, except for a decline during the first 2 weeks on schedule c, when the animals lost weight. When pair-feeding was used (schedule b), there was identical weight gain by the alcohol and control groups.