Effect of Chronic High Dose-Alcohol Consumption on the General Biochemical Parameters

Abstract

Objectives: A chronic intake of high dose alcohol may cause oxidative stress, metabolic abnormalities and nutritional deficiencies in the body. The effect of long-term alcohol consumption on the biochemical parameters has not been explained well. Materials and Methods: Female and male rats were maintained for 90 days as follow: I. Control (n=7), II. Alcohol-treated (2.5 gr of 50% ethanol/kg body wt administered intragastrically every other day; human equivalent is similar to 750 gr alcohol for 60 kg) group (n=6). At the end of treatment period; chemical, electrolyte, lipid, iron and enzymatic test analyses were measured by automated analyzer with Roche diagnostic kits in the rat serum or plasma. Results: Albumin and iron levels were decreased in the alcohol-treated female rats as compared to the control female rats, but total iron binding capacity and sodium levels were increased in the alcohol-treated group. Lactate, sodium, total and pancreatic amylase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, glucose and total cholesterol levels were elevated in the alcohol-treated male rats as compared to the control rats. Mean alcohol level was raised by 40% in the female and 26.6% in the male alcohol-treated rats compared to control rats, but there was no statistically significant difference between groups. Conclusions: Some chemical parameters and a group of test values due to ethanol toxicity in both sexes fed chronically with high dose of alcohol may alter in the pathogenesis of alcoholism.