The effect of fat-rich, protein-rich, and carbohydrate-rich diets combined with long-term ethanol ingestion on the pancreatic proteolytic proenzymes in rats.

The effect of chronic alcohol ingestion on pancreatic adaptation to protein-, fat-, carbohydrate-rich and standard diets in rats was studied. Alcoholic animals received 15% (v/v) ethanol in their drinking water and controls tap water for 12 weeks. No mortality or dehydration was observed. After this diet period pancreases were removed, and specific and total activities of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen activities of the homogenates were determined. Ethanol itself did not have any significant effect on chymotrypsinogen or trypsinogen activities, but when combined with special diets significant increases were observed. The activity of chymotrypsinogen increased most in the alcohol and fat-rich diet group, that of trypsinogen in the alcohol and carbohydrate-rich diet group.