The Effect of Concomitant Ethanol and Opium Consumption on Lipid Profiles and Atherosclerosis in Golden Syrian Hamster's Aorta.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of mortality in the world and is normally argued as the third cause of all mortalities. Opium and alcohol every day consumption can cause people to have many health problems. The present study aimed to assess the effect of ethanol and opium consumption on lipid profiles and atherosclerosis in aorta.


METHODS
Twenty four male golden Syrian hamsters were randomly divided into four treatment groups (n = 6): Control, addicted (40 mg/kg), alcohol (6.0 g/kg) and combination of opium and alcohol. All of the hamsters were scarified and their livers were removed immediately and fixed in formalin solution 10%. The plasma levels of the lipid profiles were measured enzymatically. Aorta sections were examined by a pathologist.


RESULTS
The amount of the total cholesterol significantly increased in ethanol (P < 0.05) and combination (P < 0.05) groups, while it had a non-significant decrease in opium group. Serum triglyceride significantly increased in ethanol (P < 0.05) and combination (P < 0.001) groups, as well as this parameter increased in opium group but it was not significant. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) markedly increased in the combination group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in serum LDL-C among other treatment groups. Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol had a significant rise only in ethanol group. Change in aorta histology was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that consumption of opium plus alcohol has harmful effects on lipid profile; however, it had no effect on aorta histology that was maybe due to the short period of the treatment.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Afzalipoor Medical College, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Jahanbanoo
J
Shahryari
General Practitioner, Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Moein
M
Poormorteza
General Practitioner, Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Arash
A
Noori-Sorkhani
Senior Researcher, Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Kouros
K
Divsalar
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Ebrahim
E
Abbasi-Oshaghi
Aorta; Atherosclerosis; Cholesterol; Ethanol; Opium