Glycerol Metabolism in the Human Liver: Inhibition by Ethanol

Abstract

Glycerol is metabolized predominantly in the liver, the first step presumably being phosphorylation to α-glycerophosphate. When ethanol is present in the blood the rate of glycerol uptake by the splanchnic organs is reduced to about one-third of the control value. At the same time glycerophosphate accumulates in the liver. Hepatic blood flow and oxygen consumption are not influenced by the combined infusion of glycerol and ethanol. The phenomenon may be connected with the increased concentration of the reduced form of diphosphopyridine nucleotide present in the liver during ethanol metabolism.