[Features of lipid metabolism impairment in chronic alcoholic intoxication]

Long-term administration of ethanol into animals within 1-6 months resulted in distinct alterations of blood serum fatty acid composition as well as in elevation of the saturation rate simultaneously with a decrease of fatty acid polyunsaturation. Calculated coefficients, which included ratios between fatty acid with various rates of unsaturation, were highly informative. Alterations of fatty acid composition in blood serum, registered during observations, reflected the state of fatty acid metabolism in tissues. Analysis of fatty acid spectrum in blood serum enabled to evaluate the severity of impairments in liver tissue and pancreas under conditions of alcohol intoxication: increase in the rate of phospholipid catabolism, in content of cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids was observed both in blood serum and liver tissue. These impairments of lipid metabolism may produce alcohol hepatitis, which is the basis for liver tissue alcohol cirrhosis.