Low dose effects of ethanol on suckling rats: Enzymes activity, histological alterations and growth parameters

Lower concentration of ethanol can be transferred to fetus through the placenta and to newborn offspring through breast milk. This study aimed at investigating the effects of lactation exposure to ethanol on some biochemical and pathological alterations in brain، liver and kidney tissues of in suckling rat. In this experimental study 21 adult female wistar rats were devided in 3 grous، 2 experimental and 1 control group، the experimental groups received tap water with 2 and 4 % ethanol v/v and control group only received tap water during lactation period. On day 25 after birth، 9 pup rats from each experimental group were anesthetized. Blood samples were collected، alanine amino transferase (ALT)، gamma glutamyle transferase (GGT)، aspartate amino transferase (AST)، alkaline phosphatase (ALP)، Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)، creatine kinase، Blood nitrogen urea (BUN) and Creatinine were determined according to routine laboratory method. Histopathological examination of the brain، liver and kidney were also performed. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Dunnett tests. Use of ethanol did not cause any significant difference in ALT، GGT، AST، ALP and BUN experimental groups in comparison with the control group (P>0. 05). But LDH، creatine significantly increased in experimental groups received tap water with 4% ethanol v/v compared to the control group، respectively (P<0. 05). In histopathologic study، mild injuries were observed in kidney، liver and brain tissues of offspring rat exposed to 4% ethanol v/v. Alcohol consumption during lactation period can result in irrecoverable harms offspring.