Effects of acute ethanol administration on female rat liver as a function of aging.
Female Fischer 344 rats, aged 4, 14, and 25 months, received 4.0 g/kg of ethanol by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Blood alcohol concentrations 2.5, 6 and 16 hr after ethanol injection were similar in the three age groups. Hepatic glutathione (GSH) levels were diminished 6 hr after ethanol injection, and there were no age-dependent differences in the depleted levels (3.2 +/- 0.1, 3.5 +/- 0.2, and 3.0 +/- 0.5 micrograms GSH/g liver). However, GSH contents in livers of young-adult rats approached control levels after 16 hr, whereas they remained depressed in older rats. Serum levels of hepatic enzymes were significantly elevated 6 hr after ethanol administration. The increases were greater in middle-aged and old rats than in young-adult rats. The results suggest that middle-aged and old rats are more susceptible than young rats to the acute toxicity of ethanol.
Rikans
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Department of Pharmacology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City 73190.
Snowden
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D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007064:L-Iditol 2-Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D000431:Ethanol; D007064:L-Iditol 2-Dehydrogenase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione