Effect of long term alcohol feeding on the pancreas in rat

To elucidate the pathophysiological process of alcoholic pancreatitis, chronic alcohol intoxication was made in Wistar rats on balanced diet giving 20% ethanol freely for 60 weeks. The control rats received water. Histological picture of the pancreas, hormonal activity in the mucosa of upper digestive tract and the nature of pancreatic juice were examined in every 15th week. The results were as follows. 1) No histological changes were noted in the pancreas of control group. In the ethanol group, morphological abnormalities of the pancreas appeared after 30 weeks. Of the histological findings, the changes on the ductal system such as dilatation of pancreatic duct, plug formation in the ductal lumen and periductal fibrosis were significant. 2) The long term ethanol administration tended to decrease the amounts of gastrin, secretin and cholecystokinin contained in the gastrointestinal mucosa. 3) Regardless of the histological changes of the pancreas, almost no changes were noted in the bicarbonate and protein concentration during the experimental period of 60 weeks. From the above results, a mechanism obstructing pancreatic ductal system is considered to be important in the pancreatic lesions by alcohol rather than a mechanism of stimulating pancreatic exocrine secretion.