EFFECT OF ARACHIDONATE ON LIPID-METABOLISM IN ETHANOL-TREATED RATS FED WITH LARD

Two groups of rats, ethanol-treated and sucrose-administered control r ats, were fed diets with different AA content (0, 2 and 3% weight) for 14 days. Ethanol was administered by gavage at a single daily dose of 3 g/kg body weight. The ethanol-treated rats showed significantly hig her levels (p < 0.01) of serum ALT activity. The dietary AA supplement lowered the serum ALT activity and liver triglyceride both in control and ethanol-treated rats. Significantly lower levels of 20 :4n-6 and 20:4n-6/18:2n-6 ratio and higher levels of 18: 1n-9 in both the serum and liver triglyceride were observed in the ethanol-treated rats. The AA-supplemented diet induced a marked increase of 20 :4n-6 and subsequ ent significant decrease of 18 :2n-6 both in the liver and serum phosp holipid in control and ethanol-treated rats. 18:1n-9 in the serum and liver triglyceride in both groups was also markedly decreased by AA su pplement. No significant difference was observed in the liver 6-keto-P GF(1 alpha) level between the ethanol-treated and control rats. In the ethanol-treated rats, the level of 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) was elevated i n the rats fed the 3% AA-supplemented diet. Though the liver leukotrie ne B-4 levels were increased by ethanol administration in all rats, th ese levels were not increased by dietary AA.