Ascorbic Acid and Chronic Alcohol Consumption in the Guinea Pig’

Ascorbic Acid and Chronic Alcohol Consumption in the Guinea Pig. SUSICK, R. L., JR., ABRAM& G. D., ZURAWSKI, C. A., AND ZANNONI, V. G. (1986). Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 84,329-335. Protection against the toxic effects of chronic alcohol consumption was observed in male guinea pigs maintained on a high-ascorbic-acid diet (vitamin C-deficient chow plus 2.0 mg ascorbic acid/ml drinking water) as compared to animals on a low-ascorbic-acid diet (vitamin C-deficient chow and from 0.025 to 0.050 mg ascorbic acid/ml drinking water). Alcohol was orally administered to the guinea pigs at a dose of 2.5 g/kg for up to 14 weeks. Levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase and serum alanine aminotransferase were significantly elevated in animals on the low-ascorbicacid diet that received alcohol, 120 and 250%, respectively. In contrast, in animals on the highascorbic-acid diet that received alcohol, levels of alanine aminotransferase were not significantly elevated and levels of aspartate aminotransferase were elevated 50%. In addition, some of the animals on the low-ascorbic-acid diet that received alcohol for 12 to 14 weeks developed hepatic steatosis and necrosis, whereas none of the animals on the high-ascorbic-acid diet that received alcohol for the same length of time manifested these changes.