Effects of ethanol and folic acid consumption during pregnancy and lactation on basal enzymatic secretion in the duodenal juice of offspring rats

Objective Studies on duodenal juice enzyme activities were carried out on suckling Wistar rats born to dams given ethanol during gestation and suckling. The results were compared with offspring of dams given diets containing no ethanol. Comparisons were also made with offspring of dams given ethanol and folic acid supplementation to observe whether a folate supplement could sufficiently reverse the negative effect of ethanol consumption. Methods The dams were fed increased amounts of ethanol (5% to 20%, vol/vol) in tap water for 4 wk. The maximum quantity, 20% ethanol, was given to the dams during pregnancy and lactation. Offspring animals were randomized into three groups: control (CG), ethanol treated (EG), and ethanol plus folic acid (EFG). Results Body weight at birth and at 21 d after birth and pancreatic weight were lower in offspring after ethanol treatment. Folic acid supplement increased these parameters in the EFG. Under basal conditions, decreases in amylase, lipase, and chymotrypsin activities in the duodenal juice after ethanol treatment were detected. Serum and urine amylase activities also decreased in the EG and EFG. These changes were different in the ethanol-treated progenitors. In these progenitors, ethanol treatment increased serum amylase levels. In the offspring, amylase activities in the EFG decreased with respect to the CG; however, an increase in the EG was observed. In dams the folic acid supplement did not significantly alter the serum amylase activities. Lipase and chymotrypsin activities in the EFG were similar to those in the EG. An increase of serum and urine amylase in the EFG with respect to the EG was found. Conclusion Our findings indicated that, under basal conditions, ethanol treatment during gestation and lactation negatively affects the digestive function in offspring. The effects of ethanol were slightly attenuated in rats supplemented with folic acid for amylase activities. Although extrapolation from animal studies can be tenuous, the present findings may explain the use of folic acid in the prevention of damage induced by ethanol to increase the amylase levels to physiologic concentrations.