Potential role of antioxidants during ethanol-induced changes in the fattyacid composition and arachidonic acid metabolites in male Wistar rats

Biochemical assessment of liver damage during ethanol-induced stress was do ne by measuring the activities of serum enzymes, viz., aspartate transamina se (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which were significantly elevated in rats fed ethanol. Ethanol administration for a period of 60 days modifie s the fatty acid composition, and the analysis of fatty acids showed that t here was a significant increase in the concentrations of palmitic acid (16: 0), stearic acid (18:0), and oleic acid (18:1) in liver, kidney, and brain, whereas the concentrations of palmitoleic (16:1) and arachidonic acid (20: 4) were significantly decreased. The breakdown products of arachidonic acid s (20:4), prostaglandins, were elevated. The antioxidants curcumin and N-ac etylcysteine (NAC) decreased the activities of serum AST and ALP. Curcumin and NAC decreased the concentrations of fatty acids, viz., palmitic, steari c, and oleic acid, whereas arachidonic acid and palmitoleic acid were eleva ted. The prostaglandin concentrations were also decreased after curcumin an d N-acetylcysteine treatment. Thus the present investigation shows that cur cumin and N-acetylcysteine prevent the fatty acid changes produced by ethan ol and also reduce the inflammatory response of ethanol by reducing the lev el of prostaglandins.