Increased blood ethanol elimination in rats treated with halothane

Abstract

The effect of chronic halothane inhalation and blood ethanol elimination was studied in the rat. Hepatic α glycerophosphate, oxidase ADH and malic enzyme activities were determined. Malic enzyme activity was also assayed in adipose tissue. Halothane treated rats showed an increased ethanol elimination (378 ± 13 vs. 292 ± 19; p<0.01). Hepatic and adipose tissue malic enzyme activities were significantly enhanced in halothane treated rats (6.26 ± 1.2 vs. 1.03 ± 0.23; p<0.002 for the liver and 1.84 ± 0.71 vs. 0.75 ± 0.33 for adipose tissue). Mitochondrial α glycerophosphate oxidase activity was also significantly increased in the liver of halothane treated animals (p<0.05) while no changes in ADH activity were observed. The enhanced ethanol elimination after halothane treatment, a substance which inhibits microsomal enzyme, is possibly due to increased NADH reoxidation. Another possibility explaining augmented ethanol metabolism may be an increased incorporation of ethanol into lipids rel