[Endogenous ethanol in the blood and tissues of rats with hypobaric hypoxia]

Albino male rats weighing 160-180 g were used to study the effect of short-term hypobaric hypoxia (ascent in an altitude chamber to 2500 m and 5000 m for 1 hr) on endogenous ethanol measured in blood, brain and liver; simultaneously enzymes responsible for ethanol and acetaldehyde metabolism were determined. Endogenous ethanol in blood and tissues was found to be a very sensitive marker of hypoxia which was not correlated with lactate, pyruvate, lipid peroxidation or 11-hydroxycorticosteroids. The latter parameters varied in response to severe hypoxia.