Growth and liver morphology after long-term ethanol consumption of rats.

Summary Ethanol was administered to female and male Wistar rats by mixing it with their drinking water. Ethanol concentrations were gradually increased up to either 8% or 15070. Female rats receiving8070 ethanol in their drinking water consumed 5-13 g, males 4-10 g daily. The ethanol/total food caloric intake percentages were 13 to 20070and 9 to 15070for female and male rats, respectively. There was no difference in body weight and relative liver weight between treated rats and their controls. Female and male rats receiving 15070 of ethanol in their drinking water consumed 8-14 g ethanol per kg body weight per day. The percentages of ethanol/total food caloric intake were stabilizedat about25070 forbothsexes. Growth of the rats differed only slightly from controls; a tendency for a higher increase of body weight of the control rats was found. No difference in relative liver weight between ethanol-treated and control rats was observed. Microscopic examinations revealed that the ethanol treatment resulted in fat accumulation in the liver cells. A proliferation of the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) was more marked in the 15070dosed rats than in the 8% dosed rats and more distinct in female rats than in male rats in both dosage groups.