Potentiation of ethanol fatty liver in rats by chronic administration of nicotinic acid.

Two groups of rats were fed isocalorically on alcohol and control semi-liquid diet for 28 days; two other groups had the same diets except for supplementation with nicotinic acid at 50 mg/100 ml of diet, Blood ethanol levels were unaffected by nicotinic acid administration, even though nicotinic acid was well absorbed and stored in the liver. Lipid analyses of liver and plasma after 28 days revealed that nicotinic acid, per se, stimulated fatty infiltration of the liver and this effect was potentiated when given in conjunction with ethanol.