Abstract:
Alcohol has many biological actions, and adverse effects on lipid metabolism. The main objective of this present study was designed to study the effects of alcohol administration on serum lipid profile, total protein, liver enzymes and histopathological effect in rats. A total twenty five male wistar rats (190-200g) were divided into five groups of five animals each. The animals were grouped so that the mean difference in the various groups would not vary significantly. Group one served as the control whereas groups two, three, four and five were made up of ethanol treated rats. The ethanol was administered intraperitoneally (I.P) and the treatment was carried out for three months and analysis of the parameters done on a four week basis. After .the last dose of every four weeks, blood was collected, centrifuged to form the serum. Ethanol administration on rats produced a marked and significant (p<0.05) increase in lipid profile when compared to the normal. It caused an initial increase in total cholesterol in first four weeks of the treatment and decline. Ethanol administration made a significant increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triacylglycerol. Furthermore ethanol administration enhanced the liver enzymes by increasing their activities. The activities of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared to control. Serum total protein levels indicated a significant increase (p<0.05) with ethanol administration.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease. Liver disease is the most common complication from ethanol abuse. Alcoholic fatty liver may progress to alcoholic hepatitis and finally to cirrhosis and liver failure.
