Attenuation of ethanol withdrawal signs by high doses of L-arginine in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Effects of l-arginine, a nitric oxide (NO) precursor, on ethanol withdrawal syndrome were investigated in rats.


METHODS
Ethanol (7.2% v/v) was given to rats by a liquid diet for 16 days. l-Arginine (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) or saline were injected into rats intraperitoneally 20 min before ethanol withdrawal. All injections were repeated 30 min before the 6th h of the observation period. The effects of l-arginine on ethanol withdrawal syndrome were evaluated during the first 6 h of ethanol withdrawal.


RESULTS
l-Arginine (250 mg/kg) potentiated significantly vertical and ambulatory locomotor activities at only the 30th minute of the observation period. l-Arginine (500 and 1000 mg/kg) inhibited behavioural signs of ethanol withdrawal significantly. l-Arginine (1000 mg/kg) also prolonged the latency and attenuated the intensity of audiogenic seizures. This dose of l-arginine also reduced both vertical and ambulatory locomotor hyperactivity of the rats from the 2nd hour of ethanol withdrawal. l-Arginine (1000 mg/kg) did not produce any significant change in the locomotor activities of the naive (non-ethanol-dependent) rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that l-arginine at high doses alleviates the signs of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats.
Uzbay
I Tayfun
IT
Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Etlik 06018 Ankara, Turkey.
Erden
B Faruk
BF
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D001120:Arginine