title: Effect of an acute consumption of a moderate amount of ethanol on plasma endocannabinoid levels in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Animal experiments have shown that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in the regulation of ethanol intake. We investigated these effects in healthy volunteers who consumed a moderate amount of ethanol (red wine) and measured plasma levels of the endocannabinoids (ECs) anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) to test whether alcohol consumption influences the ECS in humans. Grape juice or plain non-sparkling water served as non-alcoholic control liquids.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 55 adults were enrolled in this study and assigned to one of three groups drinking either 250 ml of red wine (28.0 g of ethanol, <0.8 g of sugar and 187.5 kcal), grape juice (41.0 g of sugar, 187.5 kcal) or plain water within 10 min. Twenty minutes and 45 min thereafter, AEA, 2-AG, ethanol and glucose levels were determined from venous plasma samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AEA, 2-AG and plasma glucose levels were significantly reduced after red wine consumption. AEA had its maximal decline at 20 min (from 0.23 ± 0.12 to 0.18 ± 0.07 ng/ml, P < 0.01), whereas the nadir of 2-AG was seen after 45 min and dropped from 6.68 ± 4.13 to 5.49 ± 3.22 ng/ml (P < 0.05). Grape juice highly affected blood glucose level after 20 min, with a return to baseline after 45 min. ECs remained almost unchanged by this intervention. Water intake had no significant effect on AEA (0.21 ± 0.08 at baseline and 0.19 ± 0.06 after 45 min) but resulted in a gradual reduction in 2-AG concentrations which became significant at 45 min when compared with baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The consumption of a moderate amount of red wine reduces plasma AEA and 2-AG concentrations, whereas the volume and caloric equivalent of the sugar containing, non-alcoholic liquid grape juice does not affect plasma ECs. Plain water has a differential effect on the ECS by reducing 2-AG concentrations without affecting AEA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Germany. matthias.feuerecker@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feuerecker
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hauer
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gresset
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lassas
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogeser
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briegel
authors.forename: Cyrill
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hornuss
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Choukèr
authors.forename: Gustav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schelling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000097:blood*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005989:Glycerides / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000097:blood*; D014920:Wine
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D001786:Blood Glucose; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D000431:Ethanol; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate; C078814:anandamide