A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ETHANOL ABSORPTION IN THE CANINE JEJUNUM AFTER PRETREATMENT WITH CYANAMIDE OR PYRAZOLE

This report describes the retardation of ethanol absorptionfrom the intestinal tract and reduction of portal blood flowby high acetaldehyde concentrations in dogs using a jejunalsegment with the vascular supply intact. The cyanamide-pretreatmentgroup (CY), in which an extremely high acetaldehyde concentrationdeveloped, in comparison with the control and pyrazole-pretreated(PY) groups, showed a gradual increase of portal blood ethanol,a 25% reduction in the amount of absorbed ethanol, and an 85%smaller absorption rate constant value (K_a). These facts indicatethat the presence of a high acetaldehyde concentration in theblood results in a reduction of ethanol absorption and retardationof ethanol reaching the systemic circulation. The rapid reductionof portal blood flow and the lower ethanol level in the portalvein observed in the CY group, in comparison with the othertwo groups, also indicate that the reduction of ethanol permeabilitythrough the absorption site to the blood is an important retardingfactor induced by acetaldehyde.