DIETARY ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL CONTENT MODULATES RESPONSES TO MODERATE ETHANOL-CONSUMPTION

Rats were fed with diets containing differing amounts of alpha-tocophe rol for 21 days. For the latter 14 days of this period, one half of th e rats also received ethanol (7% v/v) in the drinking water. Treatment s did not alter the rate of weight gain between groups. Hepatic glutat hione levels were depressed by ethanol treatment in rats receiving die ts deficient in alpha-tocopherol or containing normal levels of the vi tamin (50 ppm). However, this depression was not found in rats maintai ned on a high alpha-tocopherol diet (1000 ppm). The high alpha-tocophe rol diet also prevented the ethanol-induced inhibition of proteolytic activity within the liver, A dose-dependent reduction of rates of hepa tic generation of reactive oxygen species was effected by this vitamin . Within the central nervous system, the only region showing an ethano l-induced lowering of glutathione levels, was the midbrain of rats rec eiving the alpha-tocopherol deficient diet.