title: Tolerance and cross-tolerance in chronic alcoholics: reduced membrane binding of ethanol and other drugs.
abstract: Membrane binding of ethanol, anesthetics, and hydrophobic molecules in brain synaptosomes and liver mitochondria from rats is conspicuously reduced after long-term consumption of ethanol. The membranes are resistant to structural disordering by both ethanol and halothane. Tolerance, cross-tolerance, and dependence in chronic alcoholics may in part result from membrane alterations that inhibit the binding of ethanol and other drugs.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D001665:Binding Sites; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D013113:Spin Labels; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D013113:Spin Labels; D000431:Ethanol; D006221:Halothane