Influence of chronic alcohol consumption on the development of altered hepatocellular foci in rats.
The effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the development of altered hepatocellular foci was examined in 150 male Slc:Wistar rats fed an ethanol solution (0, 5 or 20%, w/v) ad libitum instead of drinking water. In the 120th week of the treatment period, the liver was examined histopathologically. There was no significant difference in the incidence, number and volume fractions of altered hepatocellular foci between the 0% and the 5% ethanol groups. In the 20% ethanol group, the incidence of altered hepatocellular foci was significantly higher than in the 0% ethanol group, and the number and the volume fraction of altered hepatocellular foci were significantly greater than in the 0% and the 5% ethanol groups. These results indicate that chronic consumption of a large amount of alcohol promotes the development of altered hepatocellular foci. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of benign liver cell tumours and hepatocellular carcinoma among the three groups.
Shibayama
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, Osaka Medical College, Japan.
Nishijima
A
A
Asaka
S
S
Nakata
K
K
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors