Korean J Nutr.  2003 Oct;36(8):801-810.

The Effect of Folate Defficiency on Plasma Cholesterol and Antioxidative System in Ethanol-fed Rats

• Bae MJ
• Yang KM
• Min H
• Seo JS

Abstract

Chronic alcoholism is considered a common cause of malnutrition. Especially, micronutrient deficiency may playa critical role in the incidence of alcoholic liver diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of folate deficiency and ethanol consumption on cholesterol metabolism and the antioxidative system in rats. Plasma concentration of total cholesterol was increased by ethanol administration in folate-fed rats. HDL-cholesterol tended to be higher in the folate-fed group, but it was not significant. The plasma and hepatic levels of malondialdehyde were increased after chronic ethanol feeding, but dietary folate depressed the plasma malondialdehyde content of rats. Ethanol or folate feeding did not significantly change alcohol dehydrogenase activity. But folate feeding increased catalase activity in ethanol-fed rats. There was no significant change in superoxide dismutase activity among the experimental groups. Glutathione peroxidase activity tended to decrease by chronic ethanol feeding, but dietary folate did not affectthe glutathione peroxidase activity of chronic ethanol-fed rats. Glutathionine-S-transferase activity was not affected by ethanol feeding or folate deficiency. The plasma and hepatic levels of retinol decreased after chronic ethanol feeding. The hepatic level of retinol significantly decreased in ethanol-fed rats by folate deficiency. The plasma level of alpha-tocopherol tended to be low in the folate deficient group with ethanol feeding, but there was no difference among the experimental groups in the hepatic level of alpha-tocopherol. These results demonstrate that chronic ethanol consumption changes the plasma cholesterol metabolism and antioxidative system of rats, and optimal folate feeding in ethanol-fed rats exerts protective effects to some extent.

Keyword

ethanol; folate; lipid peroxide; retinol; alpha-tocopherol

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Alcoholism
alpha-Tocopherol
Animals
Catalase
Cholesterol*
Ethanol
Folic Acid*
Glutathione Peroxidase
Incidence
Liver Diseases, Alcoholic
Malnutrition
Malondialdehyde
Metabolism
Micronutrients
Plasma*
Rats*
Superoxide Dismutase
Vitamin A
Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Catalase
Cholesterol
Ethanol
Folic Acid
Glutathione Peroxidase
Malondialdehyde
Micronutrients
Superoxide Dismutase
Vitamin A
alpha-Tocopherol