Zinc level in selected tissues of ethanol and morphine intoxicated mice.
BACKGROUND
In this work we determined zinc level in the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen and thigh muscle of the ethanol- and morphine-intoxicated mice.


METHODS
The experiment was conducted on mice, which were divided into four groups of ten mice each. They were given ethanol intragastrically, morphine--intraperitoneally, and a combination of ethanol and morphine. The concentration of zinc was determined spectrophotometrically, using spectrophotometer Pye Unicam SP-192.


RESULTS
The narcotic drugs affected zinc level and zinc distribution in the tested tissues. All the narcotic agents caused an increase in zinc concentration in blood serum and a decrease of this microelement in the brain. Ethanol intoxication caused a decrease of zinc level in all the tissues except the heart. Morphine- as well as morphine-and-ethanol intoxication, however, caused an increase or decrease of this microelement.
Floriańczyk
B
B
Department of Physiological Chemistry, Medical University, ul. Lubartowska 85, 20-123 Lublin, Poland.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
D000431:Ethanol; D009020:Morphine; D015032:Zinc