[58] Animal models of chronic ethanol toxicity

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces an experimental model for the toxic effect created by overcoming the natural aversion of the rodent for alcohol by incorporating the ethanol in a totally liquid diet. This technique provides flexibility to adjust to special experimental or physiological needs by allowing for various substitutions, including changes in lipids, proteins, or other dietary constituents. This procedure is thereby ideally suited for the study of the interactions of alcohol with deficiency or excess of various nutrients. The technique also facilitates the comparison with controls by simplifying pair-feeding procedures. The optimal amount of ethanol for the rat liquid diet is found to be 5 g% or 36% of total energy. With lesser amounts of alcohol, intake falls below a critical threshold; blood levels of alcohol then become negligible, and the model becomes irrelevant to clinical conditions. The first experimental model of alcoholic cirrhosis made it possible to clarify the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced fibrosis and has revealed precirrhotic lesions that have now found applicability to the human condition.