Research Information System
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR VITAMIN AND NUTRITION RESEARCH, vol.79, no.2, pp.79-86, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, we investigated the free radical-mediated cytotoxic effects of chronic ethanol consumption on the pancreatic tissue and a possible cytoprotective effect of betaine as a methyl donor and an important participant in the methionine cycle. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into control, ethanol, and ethanol+betaine groups. Prior to sacrifice, all groups were fed 60 mL/diet per day for two months. Rats in the ethanol group were fed with ethanol 8 g/kg/day. The ethanol+betaine groups were fed ethanol plus betaine (0.5% w/v). Malondialdehyde levels and adenosine deaminase, superoxide dismutase, and xanthine oxidase activities were determined in pancreatic tissues of rats.