EFFECTS OF METADOXINE ON CELLULAR FREE FATTY-ACID LEVELS IN ETHANOL-TREATED RATS

Free fatty acids (FFA) and fatty-acid ethyl esters (FAEE) were extract ed from different organs of rat after ethanol administration. The resu lts showed that ethanol treatment increased the concentration of satur ated and mono-unsaturated FFA and FAEE while decreasing the poly-unsat urated fatty-acid content. Pretreatment of animals with Metadoxine one hour before ethanol administration inhibited the increased formation of saturated and mono-unsaturated FFA. While ethanol administration in duced a marked increase in glutathione (GSH) S-transferase activity co rrelated with increased formation of FAEE in different rat tissues exa mined, pretreatment of such rats with Metadoxine reduced considerably the increased enzyme activity of their GSH S-transferase. Elevated con centrations of saturated and monounsaturated FFA conceivably reflect c hanges in the composition of lipid membranes. Hence, the cellular resp onse to ethanol would be the formation of highly-packed rigid membrane structures. Pretreatment with Metadoxine causes an inhibition in the formation of elevated quantities of saturated and monounsaturated fatt y acids. This condition could result in a lower degree of adaptability to ethanol intake and perhaps a decreased level of tolerance to ethan ol.