Comparison of the thin layer chromatography/flame ionization detection system with other methods for the quantitative analysis of liver lipid contents in alcohol-fed rats and controls.

In this study, we have examined the feasibility of using the Thin Layer Chromatography/Flame Ionization Detection (TLC/FID) system to evaluate the lipid content of alcohol-induced fatty liver by comparing the results with those from other methods. Various amounts of standards (tripalmitin, phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol) were spotted on Chromarods and scanned either with or without development in a solvent system. The detector responses were significantly greater when the spots were not developed. From the results with developed rods, conversion factors (amount/area) were calculated. These were used for the quantitative analysis of the liver lipids from rats fed a Lieber-DeCarli ethanol diet or a control diet for four weeks. The triglyceride (TG), phospholipid (PL), cholesterol (CH) and cholesterol ester (CE) contents (65.9, 25.4, 2.9 and 6.8 mg/g, respectively) obtained by the TLC/FID system were similar to those observed by other methods (67.9, 27.6, 3.0 and 8.3 mg/g, respectively). The liver lipid content in control rats also was similar to that obtained by other methods (TG, 19.0 vs 20.6; PL, 24.2 vs 21.8, CH, 2.1 vs 2.1 and CE, 1.8 vs 2.6 mg/g). Thus, the magnitude of changes in liver lipid levels due to chronic alcohol ingestion obtained by alternate methods also was found with TLC/FID. The TLC/FID system provides a convenient method for rapid analysis of the extent of fatty liver in alcohol-fed animals.