title: Acute ethanol effects on focal cerebral ischemia in fasted rats.
abstract: The effects of acute ethanol intoxication were investigated in a rat model of unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. Groups of 5 to 8 male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 4 hr of left middle cerebral artery occlusion. All groups were deprived of food overnight and were pretreated intraperitoneally with 5% dextrose solution (10 ml/kg), 20% ethyl alcohol in 5% dextrose solution (2 g/kg), or 30% ethyl alcohol in a 5% dextrose solution (3 g/kg) 1 hr before middle cerebral artery occlusion. Regional cerebral blood flow during ipsilateral occlusion was approximately 9.1 to 10% of baseline in all groups. The mean % brain water content in control, 2 g/kg ethanol-treated groups, and 3 g/kg ethanol-treated groups were: in the ischemic core--81.6, 81.2, and 82.4; intermediate zone--80.5, 80.6, and 81.7; and outer zone--79.7, 79.7, and 80.8, respectively. Brain Na+ and K+ content in the three groups was related to water content, but much greater with ethanol pretreatment. The water content of the intermediate zones in the 3 g/kg ethanol-treated animals was significantly greater than in the control (p < 0.01 and 0.001) and the 2 g/kg ethanol-treated groups. One-way analysis of variance indicated a significant dose-effect relationship in which the lower dose of ethanol tended to reduce ischemic core water content, and the larger dose increased ischemic core water, compared with the control. None of the overnight fasted groups had any significant hyperglycemia. The group given 3 g/kg i.p. ethanol 1 hr before had exacerbated edema formation with a mean whole blood level of ethanol of approximately 230 mg/dl. The neurotoxic effects of high concentrations of ethanol were unrelated to any change in plasma glucose concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0632, USA.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ben-Joseph
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Chenevert
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Domino
mesh_terms: D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000431:Ethanol