Influence of chronic ethanol treatment and the abstinence period on the ethanol elimination by the isolated perfused rat liver.

Rats received ethanol as their only drinking fluid for 4 weeks in a concentration ranging from 6-20%. After the ethanol-free intervals of 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 hours, the livers were isolated and perfused with 100 ml of perfusion fluid with an addition of ethanol (0.2% f.c.) and the elimination of ethanol from the perfusate was studied. The livers of animals chronically exposed to ethanol showed significant diminution of ethanol elimination from perfusate after 72, 96 and 120 hours of withdrawal. After 144 hours the rate of the ethanol elimination returned to the control level.