A chronic ethanol-feeding study in rhesus monkeys.

This study describes the effect of chronic ethanol-feeding in rhesus monkeys. Animals which were maintained on a diet containing 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 as 1.4 and 0.08% of the calories, respectively, and consumed alcohol (mean 2.6 g kg(-1) d(-1)) had decreased amounts of 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 in their livers and plasma lipids compared with controls. Alcohol consumption did not appear to effect the absorption of 2H(5)-18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 esters into the blood following an oral dose. There was an increase in 2H5 enrichment in plasma 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3, indicating that alcohol may have increased production of these fatty acids. There was a greater concentration of 4-hydroxynonenal in the plasma of alcohol-exposed monkeys compared to controls.