Chronic alcoholization in rats by free-choice ingestion of a hydroalcoholic solution.
The present work addresses a schedule designed to render rats alcoholic by offering them free access to a 20% (v/v) ethanol solution over 6 weeks. A solid diet and water (for controls) were fully available ad lib. in the animals' cages. The treatment was observed to achieve some effects suitable for the chronic alcoholization of rats: (1) Ethanol furnished the 36% of the calories of the diet of ethanol-treated rats; (2) The daily ethanol intake achieved was 12.05 +/- 1.18 g ethanol/kg weight; (3) The morning blood ethanol level was 0.45 g/litre; (4) Ethanol-treated rats deprived of ethanol showed several withdrawal symptoms. These results agree with those obtained by standard liquid diets, suggesting that the current protocol can be used to achieve a status of chronic alcoholization in rats.
Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, Spain.
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E
Gil-Martín
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P
Calvo
A
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Fernández-Briera
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000633:toxicity*; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012646:Self Administration; D012996:Solutions; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D012996:Solutions; D000431:Ethanol