The effect of alcohol on zinc absorption : Studies using rat small intestinal perfusion

Two methods of intestinal perfusion are described and used to study the effecs of alcohol on zinc absorption in the rat small intestine. The first method used perfusion of the lumen of the rat small intestinein situ without interruption of the vascular supply. During perfusion with a zinc-containing medium (with and without alcohol), alcohol was found to have no effect on net zinc uptake from the lumen of the intestine. However, there were significantly higher serum zinc concentrations recorded in the rats perfused wih the zinc and alcohol, 28.8 μmol/L, when compared with a group perfused without alcohol, 19.1 μmol/L (P < 0.01). The second method used simultaneous perfusion of the lumen of the rat small intestine, with constant-rate perfusion of the vascular bed with an artificial blood supply. In this experiment with a zinc-containing medium, with and without alcohol, there was no difference noted in zinc absorption from the lumen of the intestine, or release into the artificial blood supply. Therefore, in conclusion, alcohol does not appear to directly influence zinc absorption by the mucosal cells of the small intestine.