Effects of folic acid and amino acids supplementation on zinc intestinal absorption in the progeny of ethanol-treated rats

This study was designed to examine the effects of supplementation with folic acid and amino acids in dams that consumed ethanol during gestation and lactation to see whether there is an improvement in the intestinal absorption of zinc in pup rats on the 21st day after birth. The rats were randomized into two groups: Ethanol-rats (EG) were administered ethanol during the pregnancy and lactation periods; the ethanol-folic acid group (EFG) received a folic acid and amino acid supplement concomitantly with ethanol administration during pregnancy and lactation. The dams were mated to obtain the first offspring. Two sets of experiments were performed on the offspring at 21 days after birth. In general, in the first set, jejunal zinc absorption in the offspring of EG and EFG groups showed a gradual increase along with increased perfusion time at all assayed concentrations. Jejunal zinc absorption expressed as nmol/intestinal surface was higher in the ethanol-folic acid group than in ethanol animals at all assayed concentrations except at 25 microM concentration. In the second set of experiments, distal ileum zinc absorption in the offspring of ethanolfolic acid dams showed a significant increase at all concentrations tested. These results indicate that supplementation of folic acid and amino acids to dams that consume ethanol during gestation and lactation increase serum and milk zinc levels, although the zinc ingestion is lower. In pups of the supplemented dams, the jejunal and ileal absorption of zinc increased; as a consequence, the serum zinc levels increased. The activity of alcohol dehydrogenase, a metaloenzyme dependent on zinc levels, also increased.