title: Chronic heavy ethanol consumption is associated with decreased platelet aggregation in rats.
abstract: Although moderate alcohol consumption seems to be protective against atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease rate increases with its higher doses. Platelet aggregation is an important process which contributes to the atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether heavy ethanol consumption stimulates or inhibits platelet aggregation. Fourteen adult male Wistar rats were used. Ethanol (7.2%, v/v) in a modified liquid diet was given to eight rats for 21 days, which mimicked characteristics similar to human chronic alcoholism. Six rats constituted the control group. Adenosine diphophate (ADP) and collagen-induced platelet aggregation was measured in whole blood. We found reduced ADP-induced mean maximal aggregation in the alcoholic rat group compared to the control group at dose of 5 microM (p < 0.005). We also found decreased platelet aggregation responses to collagen in the alcoholic group (p < 0.006 for 2 microg/ml collagen, and p < 0.05 for 5 microg/ml collagen). In conclusion, chronic heavy ethanol consumption results in the decreased platelet aggregation in a rat model of alcoholism. Therefore, increased mortality from coronary artery disease in chronic alcoholism may be explained by other factors such as dietary imbalances and coexisting conditions, which include hypertension and depression.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. obenbaysan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Oben
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Baysan
authors.forename: Kürsat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaptan
authors.forename: Kürsad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Erinç
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oztas
authors.forename: Tayibe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kayir
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Tayfun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uzbay
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beyan
authors.forename: Ersoy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Işik
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D003094:Collagen