title: Perindopril, atenolol, and amlodipine prevent aortic ultrastructural changes in rats exposed to ethanol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of perindopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, atenolol, a beta adrenergic receptor blocker, and amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, were investigated in chronic alcohol administered rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male Wistar rats (240-320 g) were used in the present study. Alcohol was given to rats on a modified liquid diet for 21 days. Perindopril (2.5 and 5 mg/kg), atenolol (5 and 10 mg/kg), and amlodipine (5 and 10 mg/kg) were injected into rats in different groups intraperitoneally for 21 days. Control rats were pair fed an isocaloric liquid diet containing sucrose as a caloric substitute for alcohol. Saline was injected into the control rats for 21 days. The hearts were removed after the rats were anesthetized by ether, and 1-mm3 samples from the ascending aortas were fixed. Five fields per aorta were examined and photographed with a transmission electron microscope. Blood alcohol levels were also measured spectrophotometrically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Daily alcohol consumption of the rats was in the range of 12.09-15.50 g/kg. Blood alcohol concentrations were 145.63 mg/dl on the 21st day of alcohol consumption. Chronic alcohol consumption caused some marked aortic wall injuries. Perindopril, atenolol, and amlodipine at high doses, but not low doses, produced some significant beneficial effects on alcohol-induced aortic wall damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results imply that perindopril, atenolol, and amlodipine may have protective effects on heavy chronic alcohol consumption-induced aortic wall injury in rats only in high doses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Military Medical School, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. myokusoglu@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokusoglu
authors.forename: Cemal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sag
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cincik
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kayir
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koz
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baykal
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Candan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozogul
authors.forename: Oben
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Baysan
authors.forename: Ismail Tayfun
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Uzbay
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001262:Atenolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D020913:Perindopril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D017311:Amlodipine; D000431:Ethanol; D001262:Atenolol; D020913:Perindopril