title: A histological study of the use of agar as a delivery vehicle for alcohol or iron to rats.
abstract: The supply of ethanol and other substances to the rat has necessitated the development of quite complex dietary preparation and feeding techniques. This study reports the use of ethanol/water solutions in conjunction with normal rat chow diet to provide up to 30 g/kg/day ethanol to study animals. By additionally supplying agar gels containing ethanol, voluntary intake of ethanol was raised to a possible maximum of 48 g/kg/day. Hepatic steatosis was produced in 7/18 rats supplied ethanol in this fashion. Agar gels were also used to provide carbonyl iron to rats and it produced grade 3 to 4 hepatocyte iron loading in all study animals. The study demonstrates a practical method for administering ethanol and iron to rats without altering normal dietary intake. Ethanol supplied in this way does produce hepatic injury in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Drug Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landrigan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batey
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D054354:Iron Carbonyl Compounds; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D054354:Iron Carbonyl Compounds; D000431:Ethanol; D000362:Agar