title: Effects of chronic ethanol consumption on brain synaptosomes and protective role of betaine.
abstract: To evaluate the cytotoxic effects of chronic ethanol consumption on brain cerebral synaptosomes and preventive role of betaine as a methyl donor and S-adenosylmethionine precursor, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control, ethanol (8 g/kg/day) and ethanol plus betaine(0.5% w/v) group. Animals were fed 60 ml/diet per day for two months, then sacrificed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl contents and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities were determined in synaptosomal/mitochondrial enriched fraction isolated from rat cerebral cortexes. When compared to controls, ethanol containing diet significantly increased MDA levels (P < 0.05), also increased protein carbonyl levels and adenosine deaminase activities. But these were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, adding betaine to ethanol containing diet caused a significant decrease in MDA, protein carbonyl levels and adenosine deaminase activities (P < 0.05). These results indicate that betaine may appear as a protective nutritional agent against cytotoxic brain damage induced by chronic ethanol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir 26480, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gungor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kanbak
authors.forename: Okan Can
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dokumacioglu
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kartkaya
authors.forename: Mine Erden
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Inal
mesh_terms: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants; D001622:Betaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001622:Betaine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase