title: Acute and chronic ethanol treatment on beta-endorphin and catecholamine levels.
abstract: The effect of acute (2.0 g/kg, intragastrically) and chronic (8.0-11.0 g/kg/day for 10 days, intragastrically) ethanol exposure on beta-endorphin levels in plasma, hypothalamus and pituitary were examined in rats. Hypothalamic and plasma catecholamines and plasma corticosterone were also measured in these animals. Plasma beta-endorphin, norepinephrine (NE) and corticosterone levels were significantly increased and dopamine (DA) was unchanged in acute and chronic ethanol-treated rats. Compared to controls, plasma epinephrine (E) levels were increased in acute ethanol-treated rats but no significant change was observed in chronic ethanol-treated rats. Plasma dopamine were significantly decreased following chronic ethanol treatment while no significant change was observed after acute treatment. In the hypothalamus, beta-endorphin and dopamine contents were increased and norepinephrine levels were reduced in response to ethanol exposure. Beta-endorphin levels were decreased significantly in the anterior pituitary and the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary in ethanol-treated animals except in the neurointermediate lobe of the chronic ethanol-treated animals. These findings together suggest that there is an interaction between beta-endorphin, catecholamines, corticosterone and ethanol in response to acute and chronic ethanol exposure in rats.
authors.affiliation: Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08855-0969.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pohorecky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013270:Stomach; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D000431:Ethanol; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D004298:Dopamine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine