Histopathological Changes Of Skeletal Muscle Due To Chronic Alcoholism: A Free-drink Rat Model Study

Objectives：A free-drink rat model was established to investigate thehistopathological characteristics of chronic alcoholic skeletal musclemyopathy.Methods：Thirty-six Wistar male rats were randomly assigned to control groupor ethanol group，each group has eighteen rats. The control group was fedwith plain water and general diet. The ethanol group was fed with generaldiet and water which contained alcohol concentration from6%、9%、12%(V/V),each concentration lasted for5days.After15days theconcentration was increased to20%(V/V) and maintained at that level. thehistopathological examination of skeletal muscle was performed at the endof the2ed month、3rd month and4th month,respectively.Water and foodintakes were recorded every two days.The weights of the rats wererecorded every one week.Results：(1)The body weight of the rats in ethanol group is significantlyreduced compared to control group at the end of the2ed(P<0.05),3rd(P<0.01)and4th month(P<0.01).(2)In the skeletalmuscles of the alcohol treated rats, histological changes are muscle fiberatrophy, myocytolysis, infiltration of inflammatory cells.(3) There is nosignificant difference in the proportions of rat skeletal muscle fiber typesbetween two groups (P>0.05).(4)The susceptibility of various types of muscle fibers is different. The pathological changes in type Ⅱ musclefibers were severer than typeⅠmuscle fibers in the alcohol treated rats.Conclusion：(1)The histological changes of skeletal muscle in alcohol treated ratsinclude fiber atrophy, myocytolysis and infiltration of inflammatorycells.(2After alcohol toxication，the composition of fiber types in ratskeletal muscles are not changed.(3) The susceptibility of various types ofmuscle fibers is different. The pathological changes in type Ⅱ musclefibers were severer than typeⅠmuscle fibers in the alcohol treatedrats.(4)The free-drink rat model is an efficient and economical method toinvestigate chronic alcoholism. This model provides a study platform foralcoholic myopathy.