Histochemical examination of alcoholic liver injury.

The histochemical changes in the rat liver induced by chronic alcohol treatment were investigated. A significant decrease in glycogen content was observed as the first sign of alcoholic liver injury. The change started at the periphery of the hepatic lobule. With the decrease of the glycogen content a fatty degeneration of the involved parts of the hepatic lobule occurred. Fatty degeneration of the liver is to be ascribed to an inhibition of glycogen metabolism. Alcohol in the organism transfers the glucose to the pyruvate-acetyl CoA-triacyl glycerol pathway.