The swift increase in alcohol metabolism.

Abstract

Gastric intubation of female Sprague-Dawley rats with 5 g of ethanol/kg body wt doubled oxygen and ethanol uptake by the isolated perfused rat liver after only 2-5 h of treatment (Swift Increase in Alcohol Metabolism). Diminished ATP generation via glycolysis accounts for a portion of the increased oxygen uptake. These data indicate that at least part of the stimulated oxygen uptake after treatment with ethanol is a result of lower rates of glycolytic ATP generation resulting from hormone action. The ADP not phosphorylated in the cytocol enters the mitochondrion where it stimulates oxygen uptake.