Premium
Effects of Aging and Testosterone Administration on Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activity in Male Fischer 344 Rats
Author(s) -
Rikans Lora E.,
Kling O. Ray
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1987.tb00175.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , alcohol dehydrogenase , testosterone (patch) , castration , alcohol , hormone , enzyme assay , adult male , liver enzyme , enzyme , chemistry , biochemistry
The activity of alcohol dehydrogenase was measured in liver cyto‐solic fractions of male Fischer 344 rats at ages representing young adulthood, middle age, and old age. The activities were 1.7 ± 0.1, 2.3 ± 0.1, and 2.6 ± 0.2 μmol/min/g liver in rats aged 4–5, 14–15, and 24–25 months, respectively. Hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase activity in female rats (3.4 ± 0.2 μmol/min/g liver) was the same in young as in old rats. Castration increased alcohol dehydrogenase activity in young males to levels found in females, and testosterone administration reversed the effect. However, neither physiological nor pharmacological doses of the hormone restored the elevated enzyme activities of old male rats to levels found in young male rats.