Role of hormones in the mechanism of the swift increase in alcohol metabolism in the rat.

Gastric intubation of female Sprague-Dawley rats (80--150 g) with one large dose (5 g/kg) of ethanol doubled both hepatic oxygen uptake and ethanol metabolism within 2.5 hr in the perfused rat liver (Swift Increase in Alcohol Metabolism--SIAM). Hepatic oxygen uptake could also be elevated by direct infusion of epinephrine and glucagon into the perfused liver. Alcohol treatment produced significant increases in circulating epinephrine, norepinephrine and glucose but did not effect levels of plasma immunoreactive insulin. Administration of alpha- and beta-adrenergic blocking agents, adrenalectomy and hypophysectomy prevented the increase in oxygen uptake due to ethanol treatment. These data suggest that catecholamines and possibly other hormones play an important role in the mechanism of the Swift Increase in Alcohol Metabolism (SIAM).