IN-VITRO EFFECTS OF ETHANOL ON HUMAN GASTRIC AND PANCREATIC LIPOLYTIC-ACTIVITIES ENZYMES

Background: Ethanol ingestion may disturb fat digestion and absorption by affecting gastric, intestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic functions. Involved mechanisms are not well understood. We examined in vitro etha nol effects on gastric and pancreatic lipolytic activity. Methods: Hum an gastric juice, pure gastric lipase, pancreatic lipase, colipase, ca rboxyl ester lipase, phospholipase Az, and duodenal contents were a) p reincubated at 37 degrees C with ethanol (0-30%) and then assayed unde r normal conditions (pH-stat titration), or b) assayed in the presence of various ethanol concentrations (0-30%). Results: Ethanol reduced g astric and pancreatic lipolytic activities in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was more pronounced with alcohol present in the assay medi um, with 5% ethanol reducing carboxyl ester lipase activity by 10%, ga stric lipase activity by 20%, and pancreatic lipase activity by 46%. C olipase and phospholipase A(2) activities were only slightly affected by ethanol. Conclusions: Observed effects of ethanol on gastric and pa ncreatic lipases may be important when fat digestion is already impair ed due to gastric, intestinal, hepatic, and/or pancreatic diseases.