Abstract

Acetaldehyde (AcH) levels in blood samples taken from different zones of the vascular system 2 h after a p.o. dose of ethanol (2.76 g/kg) were studied in UChA (low ethanol consumer) and UChB (high ethanol consumer) rats fed a diet devoid of animal products, diet 1 (D1), and a diet containing fish meal, diet 2 (D2), and in rats pretreated with disulfiram (600 mg/kg p.o.). The results showed that, while there is no significant difference between UChA and UChB rats fed D1 with respect to blood AcH levels and the basal activity of the hepatic mitochondrial high-affinity aldehyde dehydrogenase (AIDH), a significant strain difference was observed in rats fed D2, which induced high blood AcH levels in UChA rats but not in UChB ones. No strain differences were observed in blood ethanol levels in the two groups of rats. When rats fed D1 were pretreated with disulfiram, the raising of AcH blood levels induced by ethanol after disulfiram was significantly higher in UChA than in UChB rats in suprahepatic vein, femoral vein, and tail blood. This difference was concomitant with a greater inhibition of the hepatic mitochondrial high-affinity ADH activity in UChA rats than in UChB ones, whether disulfiram was administered in vivo or in vitro, which excluded the possibility that the strain difference would be caused by a different bioavailability of disulfiram.