Pharmacokinetics of ethanol in the ferret

Select doses of ethanol (25%, W/V) were administered to female ferrets (Mustela putorius) by gastric intubation to determine dosage corresponding to peak blood alcohol levels (BAL) greater than 100 mg/100 ml of blood (mg%) for an extended duration. Low doses (6 ml/kg) resulted in peak BAL of 202 mg% in 1.5 hr and 50 mg% after 12 hr. Intermediate doses (8 ml/kg) resulted in peak BAL of 253 mg% in 1.4 hr and 89 mg% after 12 hr. High doses (12 ml/kg) did not increase peak BAL proportionately, resulted in BAL of 128 mg% after 12 hr, and increased the volume of distribution significantly. A computer-based estimate of kinetic parameters led to the conclusion that metabolism in this range of BAL was not a first order process. Moreover, a decreasing enzyme velocity with increasing substrate concentration precluded calculation of Michaelis-Menten parameters and suggested possible substrate inhibition effects.