Effects of Short-Term Ethanol and Nutrition on the Hepatic Microsomal Monooxygenase System in a Model Utilizing Total Enteral Nutrition in the Rat

The majority of studies examining the effects of ethanol on the hepatic microsomal monooxygenase system, (HMO), have utilized the liquid diet regimen of Lieber and DeCarli. While much has been learned with this useful model, there are some concerns associated with diminished nutrient intake. Decreased food intake in the presence of high levels of ethanol could give rise to at least three effects; primary ethanol effects, primary nutritional effects and/or effects resulting from interactions between nutritional deficiencies and ethanol (i.e., synergistic effects). A model similar to that developed by Tsukomoto and French is used in the current study, in which ethanol is infused directly into the stomach as part of a total enteral nutrition system (TEN). This assured that nutrients sufficient for normal growth were consumed. Two clinically relevant diets were selected for study. One diet is very similar to that used for intravenous feeding of human patients (diet A) and the other similar to that used for intragastric feeding of patients (diet B). The present study was conducted to determine the effects of different diets on HMO and to determine whether ethanol has demonstrable effects in the presence of dietary sources that promote normal growth rates. The effects of the two liquid diets alone or of TEN where 35% of the total calories in the diets were replaced by ethanol for 8 days were examined on HMO of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. HMO substrates examined included testosterone, the alkoxyresorufins, carbon tetrachloride, and p-nitrophenol. Levels of cytochrome P-450 apoproteins were studied by Western blot analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)