A time-dependent biphasic effect of an acute ethanol injection on 3-methoxy 4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol sulfate in rat brain.
The present experiment demonstrated that acute administration of ethanol appeared to have a biphasic effect on the accumulation of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol sulfate (MHPG-SO4) in rat brain. The magnitude of these alterations in MHPG-SO4 levels was also observed to be highly correlated with peripheral blood ethanol levels. Since levels of MHPG-SO4 are considered to be an index of noradrenergic activity, the findings suggest that ethanol may affect norepinephrine activity in a specific dose- and time-dependent manner. These results are discussed in reference to previous reports describing apparent divergent effects on norepinephrine. Possible mechanisms for the biphasic actions are also suggested.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006018:Glycols / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors
D006018:Glycols; C030284:3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate; D000431:Ethanol; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D009638:Norepinephrine