Table II.

Parameters of rats in the three groups.

Parameters (mean ± SD)	Control	Ethanol	Ethanol + Betaine
Initial body weight (g)	246.56±23.38	247.14±22.86	245.86±23.15
Body weight gain (%)	133.52±26.46	130.79±24.52	131.35±28.54
Daily caloric intake (kcal ⁄day)	88.65±7.21	89.76±6.78	90.34±7.26
Daily alcohol (25%, vol/vol) intake (ml)	0	34.51±4.97	34.38±5.25
ALT (U/l)	66.32±21.10	52.18±15.94	60.50±23.73
AST (U/l)	151.18±39.44	135.24±34.94	148.22±47.98
ALP (U/l)	99.93±37.11	93.52±25.74	100.42±29.41
Liver TNF-α level (ng/mg protein)	7.29±1.39	7.24±2.03	7.19±1.76

SD, standard deviation; ALT, alanine transferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α.