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  • Title: Vascular reactivity in alcoholic rat aortas: in vitro interactions between catecholamines and alcohol.
    Author: Rhee HM, Song BJ, Cushman S, Shoaf SE.
    Journal: Neurotoxicology; 1995; 16(1):179-85. PubMed ID: 7603639.
    Abstract:
    To understand the nature of vascular problems of hypertensive and alcoholic subjects, an in vitro interaction between catecholamine and alcohol was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The descending aortas were isolated from either the control or alcohol treated rats. The aortic strips were cooled rapidly in ice-chilled Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) solution and the aorta was cut into a series of rings of approximately 1 mm width. The rings were fixed under 1 g of resting tension between a force-displacement transducer and anchoring electrodes at 37 degrees C. The rings were equilibrated for an hour with frequent changes of the K-H solution before testing. There was norepinephrine (NE) dose-dependent contraction of the rings, which showed the maximum tension with 1 microM NE. Acetylcholine or carbachol produced slow relaxation. Pretreatment of the rings with 10 microM prazocin prevent the contraction induced by 1 microM NE. Even in the presence of prazocin, 60 mM KCI was able to generate the maximum tension. NE-induced contraction was analyzed in the control K-H solution or in the presence of 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0% of ethanol. Ethanol (1.5%) slowed the rate of rise of the aortic tension without a remarkable compromise of the maximum tension. But, there was a significant reduction in contraction with 3% ethanol. A complete inhibition of contraction was noted with 5% ethanol. However, the effect of ethanol was fully reversible upon washings the aortic rings with K-H solution. Aortic rings prepared from the rats that were fed with alcohol for 30 days were not able to generate the maximum tension with 1 microM NE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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