ABSTRACT
Hepatic Vitamin A Depletion by Ethanol Ethanol consumption also leads to a depletion of hepatic vitamin A as studied in the adult baboon, rat, and human (109-110). Maternal ethanol consumption leads to reduced fetal liver vitamin A levels, which was proposed to potentially play a role in fetal alcohol syndrome (111 ). However, since teratogenic effects of ethanol occur in the mouse embryo prior to liver development (19), it is more likely that ethanol has a direct negative effect on embryonic retinol metabolism at target tissues. Analysis of 10 rat embryos chronically treated with ethanol has indicated a two to threefold increase in retinol levels in whole and brain compared to control embryos (112). This was interpreted as being consistent with the hypothesis that ethanol could inhibit the retinol oxidation of an embryonic ADH, thus leading to excess retinol.
