EFFECT OF ETHANOL ON PLASMA CORTICOSTERONE LEVELS

Following interperitoneal administration fo ethanom to rats, the effect of this alcohol on pituitary-adrenal function has been studied by measuring changes in plasma corticosterone concentration. Doses of ethanol ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 g/kg increased plasma steroid levels in a roughly parallel rela...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics Vol. 153; no. 1; pp. 121 - 127
Main Author Ellis, F W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 01.07.1966
Subjects
Adrenal Glands - physiology
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - metabolism
Animals
Ethanol - blood
Ethanol - pharmacology
Hypophysectomy
Morphine - pharmacology
Pentobarbital - pharmacology
Pituitary Gland - physiology
Pituitary-Adrenal System - drug effects
Rats
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Summary:Following interperitoneal administration fo ethanom to rats, the effect of this alcohol on pituitary-adrenal function has been studied by measuring changes in plasma corticosterone concentration. Doses of ethanol ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 g/kg increased plasma steroid levels in a roughly parallel relationship to the size of the dose. After 2 g/kg of ethanol, the duration of the adrenocortical response was approximately 6 hr, which corresponded to the period of detectable blood alcohol concentration. When ethanol was given to hypophysectomized animals. no elevation of corticosterone concentration was observed. Pretreatment of intact animals with pentobarbital and morphine produced a complete blockade of the steroid response to ethanol. Pentobarbital alone reduced the response to about 50% of the usual ethanol effect. Since the intraperitoneal injection of a local anesthetic prior to ethanol administration failed to alter the action of ethanol, it is assumed that peritoneal irritation could not have been a part of the involved mechanism of action. Repeated daily injections of ethanol for 1 wk did not result in pituitary-adrenal adaptation and decreased steroid response to a subsequent injection as has been demonstrated for certain other centrally acting depressant drugs. These observations suggest that ethanol induces hypersecretion of corticotropin by acting through an unexplained central nervous system mechanism.
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ISSN:0022-3565
1521-0103