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The fatty acid composition of plasma and red cell membranes was determined in alcoholics without liver dysfunction upon admission for withdrawal therapy and after a 4-week period of abstinence, and in normal subjects. Fatty acid analysis of plasma by capillary gas chromatography showed a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids in alcoholics on admission than in normal subjects. Other major differences in plasma fatty acids in alcoholics were the reduction of linoleic acid and the increase in palmitic acid. Similar abnormalities were measured in red cell membranes of alcoholics. Although there were less polyunsaturated fatty acids in red cells of alcoholics, the degree of hydrogen peroxide or phenylhydrazine-induced lipid peroxidation was the same as in controls. Membrane tolerance to ethanol was attributed to adaptive membrane alterations (increase of saturated fatty acids in membranes). However, the here reported changes in plasma and red cell lipids suggest that alterations in red cell membrane lipids reflect abnormalities in plasma lipids due to equilibrium exchanges rather than signify adaptive changes of the red cells to ethanol.

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