Effect of ethanol administration on brain and liver enzyme activities

¹ Department of Physiology, Medical College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

Rats receiving daily administrations of ethanol for 10–12 weeks became demonstrably resistant to intoxicating effects of the alcohol by the 9th week. The increased resistance to the effects of alcohol was not accompanied by increased oxidation of alcohol in the intact animal or by increased oxidation of ethanol in liver homogenate. Brain AChE activity is reduced to a statistically demonstrable but functionally insignificant degree by administration of alcohol whether the rat is receiving its first dose or whether it has become tolerant to the intoxicating effects of alcohol. The development of tolerance to ethanol appears to be unrelated to the rate of oxidation of alcohol in either the intact animal or in liver tissue and does not appear related to changes in brain AChE activity.