The swift increase in alcohol metabolism (SIAM) in four inbred strains of mice.

Ethanol metabolism increases two to three hours after the administration of ethanol. This phenomenon, called the Swift Increase in Alcohol Metabolism (SIAM), has been compared in four inbred strains of mice (DBA/2J; C3H/HeJ; AKR/J; C57BL/6J). Basal rates of ethanol elimination were determined in individual mice after intraperitoneal injections of ethanol. Little variability in this basal rate of ethanol elimination was observed within each strain. Mice were then exposed to ethanol vapor for 4 hours. In both injected and treated mice the dose of ethanol was varied to produce blood ethanol levels ranging from 50 to 250 mg%. Ethanol elimination increased maximally 1.5 to 4-fold in all four strains following 4 hours of vapor treatment at the same blood ethanol level; however, the dose at which the maximal increase occurred differed among the strains. DBA/2J mice exhibited a maximal increase in the rate of ethanol elimination when ethanol concentrations were in the range of 30 to 50 mg%; the increase was smaller as the dose was increased. In contrast, AKR/J and C57BL/6J mice required 100 to 150 mg% ethanol to activate SIAM. These data indicate clearly that the SIAM effect is a common phenomenon, and that dose-response relations differ in various inbred strains of mice.