Ether Inhibition of Ethanol Metabolism in Isolated Rat Liver Parenchymal Cells

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effect of diethyl ether on ethanol metabolism was studied in isolated rat hepatocytes. Ether inhibited ethanol oxidation in a dose-dependent manner. At ethanol concentrations of .apprx. 30 mM, diethyl ether inhibited ethanol oxidation by .apprx. 58, 40 and 20% at ether concentrations of 30, 20 and 10 mM, respectively. This inhibition was also seen at a low ethanol concentration (5.4 mM) and in pyruvate (5 mM)-stimulated hepatocytes, which exhibited increased rates of ethanol metabolism closer to in vivo rates. Accumulation of acetaldehyde from ethanol in cyanamide (400 .mu.M)-treated hepatocyte suspensions was also reduced by .apprx. 16% by 30 mM ether. Inhibition of ethanol metabolism by diethyl ether might be of practical importance in studies of ethanol metabolism in ether-anesthetized animals.