PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO ETHANOL IN RATS - EFFECTS ON LIVER ENERGY-LEVEL AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN MOTHERS, FETUSES, AND NEWBORNS

The fetal alcohol syndrome is a clinical condition that affects newbor ns from alcoholic mothers. It is not clear, however, whether ethanol c onsumption during gestation can affect liver functions of fetuses and newborns. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of ethanol adm inistration on body weight, liver energy level, and antioxidant status of mothers, fetuses, and newborns. Pregnant rats were exposed to etha nol during the third week of gestation. Body weight, survival, and liv er concentration of gluthatione (GSH) and adenosintriphosphate (ATP) w ere measured. NI, differences were observed in body weight or in liver ATP and GSH between mothers exposed to ethanol and control animals. C onversely, fetuses from rats exposed to ethanol showed a marked decrea se in GSH, ATP, and body weight when compared to those from control ra ts. Newborns exposed prenatally to ethanol were no different from thos e born to control mothers. This study suggests that an amount of ethan ol that is not sufficient to determine a significant effect on mothers can, nevertheless, cause a marked decrease in growth and in liver ant ioxidant and energy status in fetuses. These parameters, however, retu rn to control value one week after ethanol discontinuation. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Inc.