Inhibition of the chronic ethanol-induced fatty liver by antioxidant administration.

Abstract

SummaryFemale rats were maintained for 21 days on nutritionally adequate liquid diets containing either “low” or “high” fat content and supplemented with ethanol or isocaloric sucrose as 35% of the calories. Liver triglyceride concentrations were significantly elevated in animals maintained on both diets supplemented with ethanol. However, a greater increment in triglyceride concentrations was manifested in the “high” fat ethanol group under conditions of similar caloric intake. The intraperitoneal administration of the lipid antioxidant, N,N′-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD), prior to, and during the dietary period significantly inhibited the ethanol-induced increment in hepatic triglyceride concentration. The inhibition of the chronic ethanol-induced steatosis, in conjuction with our previous studies of antioxidant modification of the acute ethanol-in-duced hepatic lesion, further accents the possible role of lipid peroxidation as a determinant in cell injury and the role of antioxidants as liver prot...