Serum Lipid Metabolites in Alcohol Consuming Rats

Gabriela Garban-Daranyi1, Victor Precob2, Zeno Garban3, Adina Avacovici 3, Eugeniu Simionica3, and Codrut Selaru3

1 Institute of Public Health and Medical Research, Timişoara, Romania
2 Department of Biochemistry and Ecology, University “Tibiscus” Timişoara, Romania
3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Food Products Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Timişoara, Romania

Corresponding author: Prof. Zeno Garban
    Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
    Faculty of Food Products Technology
    University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine
    Calea Aradului Nr. 119
    RO-1900 Timişoara, Romania
    Telephone: + 40-256-211-248
    E-mail address: zgarban@mail.dnttm.ro

CEJOEM 2002, Vol.8. No.2–3.:157–161

Key words:
Alcohol consumption, lipid metabolites

Abstract:
Chronic alcohol consumption influences (directly or indirectly) the metabolic processes of the organism by its main metabolite, acetaldehyde. The consecutive cytosolic and mithocondrial, enzymatic imbalance may perturb, inter alia, the intermediate metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. The investigations performed on female Wistar strain rats aimed at determining the serum concentration of various lipid fractions after alcohol consumption. Control (C) and two experimental (E1, E2) groups were set up. Animals in group E1 consumed alcohol intermittently, i.e., on each fifth day, and those from the experimental group E2 consumed alcohol continuously, i.e., daily (ad libitum) for 50 days in both groups. At the end of the experiment, the animals were killed and blood samples for biochemical analysis obtained by puncturing the vena cava caudalis. The serum concentrations of total lipids and cholesterol significantly increased in group E2. The resulting increase of serum lipids may be explained by enhanced synthesis of cholesterol, triglycerides and α-glycerophosphate due to mobilisation of triglycerides from adipose tissue upheld by more intense esterification of fatty acids.

Received:  3 July 2002
Accepted:  30 October 2002
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