Determination of Biochemical and Histological Parameters of Alcohol Administration in Wistar Rats

Animal model development of alcohol administration in rats is of crucial importance as it gives indirect information to effects of alcohol in humans. An indirect assessment of this would be the biochemical and histological data that could arise from such experiments.

20 Male Wistar rats weighing (63.50±3.79 g), were divided into four groups (consisting 15 treated animals and 5 control animals) and administered with varying concentrations of ethanol (5% 15% and 40%) via intragastric intubation for a period of 28 days. Probic evaluations, liver biochemical enzymes and alteration in histology profile of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and viscera organs (namely the liver, kidney, heart and lungs) were determined after experimental duration.

At 40% ethanol administration, the rats showed biochemically significant decrease in serum gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), serum aspartate (AST) and Alanine amino transferase (ALT) when compared to normal study while 5% and 15% ethanol administered rats were comparable with control values i.e. normal study. Probic evaluations such as body weight, water intake and food intake showed percentage decrease in 40% ethanol administrated rat when compared with controls. The photomicrographs of the 5% and 15% ethanol administered rats indicated mild damage in their histological profiles when compared to the normal study while there was more adverse damage occurring in the 40% ethanol administrated rats.

Conclusion: From this study, serum aspartate (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and Alanine amino transferase (ALT), probic evaluation (body weight, food intake and water intake) coupled with histopathological investigation may be used as biomarker for the early diagnosis of ethanol toxicity in human beings.