LONG-LASTING EFFECTS OF CHRONIC ETHANOL ADMINISTRATION ON THE ACTIVITY OF ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES

The aim of this study was to investigate the long-lasting effects of p rolonged administration of ethanol doses on oxidative processes of age d rats. We determined the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), cata lase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in erythrocytes of rats 1 5, 20, and 24 months old treated with an average daily dose of 1.5 g/K g of ethanol or saline administered intraperitoneally for 13 weeks and after a 2 month period of withdrawal from treatment. The activity of all three enzymes decreased significantly with aging in the controls, while no age-related changes were found among treated rats. These find ings are important since they are the first to show a long-lasting tox ic effect of low ethanol doses observed in association with the aging process.