title: Effect of high ethanol intake on vascular reactivity to serotonin, vasopressin and acetylcholine in normotensive rats.
abstract: Chronic ethanol administration causes hypertension and alterations of vascular reactivity in rats. In several models of hypertension, alterations of vascular reactivity are believed to be secondary to the sustained increase in blood pressure. The present study investigated the effects of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]), vasopressin and acetylcholine (ACh) in the isolated perfused mesenteric arteries from Wistar rats submitted to an 8-week course of chronic ethanol intake (8 g/kg.day). No significant differences were observed in the dose-response curves with regard to: pressor effect of 0.04-10.0 nmole 5-HT; relaxant effect of 0.05-50.0 nmole ACh; or the pressor effects of two 1.5-nmole doses of vasopressin between control rats and ethanol-fed rats. These results suggest that modifications in arterial reactivity to endogenous vasoactive substances (observed in other studies involving more prolonged ethanol treatment in rats) may be, in part, secondary to the increase in blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vítoria, Brazil.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Vasquez
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bissoli
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D012701:Serotonin; D000109:Acetylcholine