AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 250, Issue 4 518-G523, Copyright © 1986 by American Physiological Society
Role of ethanol metabolism in the ethanol-induced increase in splanchnic circulation
J. P. McKaigney, F. J. Carmichael, V. Saldivia, Y. Israel and H. Orrego
In this study we report the effect on splanchnic hemodynamics of acute oral
ethanol at doses ranging from 0.25 to 4.0 g/kg body wt. Flows were
determined by use of a radioactive microsphere technique. Ethanol was found
to increase portal blood flow by 23-57%. In awake rats this increase
reached a plateau at the 0.5 g/kg dose. In ketamine-anesthetized rats, the
increase was observed only at doses of 3.0 g/kg or more, with the response
at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/kg being suppressed by ketamine. Inhibition
of alcohol dehydrogenase by intra-arterial administration of
4-methylpyrazole resulted in suppression of the liver blood flow increase
after ethanol was administered to awake animals. Ethanol in the range of
doses studied did not result in changes in blood glucagon levels. Rats fed
ethanol-containing diets for 4 wk and withdrawn for 18 h had the same
response to acute oral ethanol as did naive rats. It is suggested that
ethanol metabolism mediates the effects of ethanol on splanchnic blood
flow. An increase in splanchnic blood flow when concurrent with an increase
in liver O2 consumption induced by ethanol might protect the liver from
hypoxic damage.
