Ethanol Metabolizing Enzymes in Cholestatic Rats with Chronic Ethanol Intoxication

Abstract

Hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS), and catalase activities were measured in rats with ethanol intoxication combined with extrahepatic cholestasis induced by common bile duct (CBD) ligation to investigate the effects of alcohol ingestion on the alcohol metabolism in the liver under the hepatobiliary disease. The activities of ADH and catalase were decreased in the CBD ligated group. The activity of MEOS was increased in the CBD ligated group. When chronic ethanol intoxication was combined with extrahepatic cholestasis, only the activity of ADH among the three ethanol metabolizing enzymes was increased to catalyze the ethanol. These results indicate that the ethanol metabolism under the hepatobiliary disease is maintained by induction of MEOS instead of decreased ADH and catalase activities. ADH plays the major role under the hepatobiliary disease combined with chronic ethanol intoxication.