Lysosome injury by perfusion of the isolated rat liver with ethanol or a molasses distillate (cachaça).
An isolated rat liver perfusion model was used to study the effects of acute exposure of the organ to either ethanol or a molasses distillate (cachaça). When ethanol (72 mM) or a molasses distillate (68 mM ethanol) was added to the perfusion fluid, lysosomal injury was indicated by the increased release of tartrate-inhibited acid phosphatase activity at the end of a 3 h period of perfusion. Other cellular compartments were not significantly damaged in these acute experiments, as judged by the release of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase. The behavior of both ethanol itself and the alcoholic beverage was similar as far as enzyme release is concerned but only the molasses distillate caused significant acidosis (a decrease in perfusate pH) at the end of a 3 h period of perfusion. These data may be of importance for a better understanding of the hepatic damage caused by alcohol abuse and useful for laboratory investigation of alcohol intoxication.
D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000473:pathology*; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008965:Molasses / Q000633:toxicity*; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase