Effect of chronic ethanol administration on cholesterol and bile acid synthesis in vivo

Chronic administration of ethanol failed to a stimulate the hepatic rate of cholesterol synthesis in meal-fed rats. In contrast, chronic ethanol feeding caused a 50% inhibition in the rate of incorporation of [4-14C] cholesterol to bile acids in the bile-duct cannulated rats. It is, therefore, suggested that the decreased rate of cholesterol degradation to bile acids may play an important role in ethanol-induced accumulation of cholesterol in liver.