title: Acute, oral ethanol administration suppresses episodic growth hormone secretion in the male rat.
abstract: The effect of single dose ethanol administration on GH secretion was studied in young adult male rats bearing indwelling gastric and right-atrial cannulas. Rats (nonfasted) received saline or ethanol (1, 2, 3, or 4 g/kg) via gastric cannula 2h before the onset of the daily dark period; blood was sampled every 15 min for 5 h. Each rat served as its own control, receiving saline and one ethanol dose separated by 2-3 days. Plasma samples were assayed for ethanol, GH, and testosterone. On saline days, all rats showed typical, episodic peaks of GH in plasma. This pattern was unaffected by ethanol at 1 g/kg (peak plasma ethanol approximately 65 mg/100 ml). Ethanol at 2 g/kg caused a rapid, marked, but not total suppression of plasma GH levels (peak plasma ethanol approximately 140 mg/100 ml), whereas at doses of 3 or 4 g/kg ethanol, a total suppression of GH secretion occurred (peak plasma ethanol approximately 190 and 240 mg/100 ml, respectively). Plasma testosterone levels showed a similar dose-sensitivity to ethanol. The threshold for GH suppression appears to be around 100 mg/100 ml plasma ethanol and is sustained throughout the time period examined, despite falling ethanol levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fernstrom
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ebaugh
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012984:Software; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D013739:Testosterone; D013006:Growth Hormone