BACKGROUND: Low to moderate alcohol consumption is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases; however, chronic high-dose alcohol ingestion causes cardiovascular injuries such as hypertension. The time response of alcohol-induced hypertension and associated tissue oxidative stress response has not been fully explored. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the time response of high-dose alcohol ingestion on blood pressure (BP) and to correlate the alterations in plasma nitric oxide (NO) levels and oxidative stress parameters in rats. METHODS: Male Fisher rats (200 g to 250 g) were divided into two groups of 30 animals each and treated as follows: control (5% sucrose, orally) and 20% ethanol (4 g/kg, orally) daily for 12 weeks. The BP (systolic, diastolic and mean) was recorded every week using the tail-cuff method. Six animals from each group were sacrificed at six, eight, 10 and 12 weeks after treatment, and blood was collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Systolic and mean BP were significantly elevated after six weeks, whereas diastolic BP was elevated after eight weeks of daily ethanol ingestion. BP elevation was related to a significant increase in plasma malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls, and a significant decrease in plasma NO, ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione and the CuZn-superoxide dismutase and Mn-superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase antioxidant enzyme activities in a time-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: The duration of alcohol ingestion is important in the induction of hypertension and the associated NO and antioxidant depletion, and oxidative tissue injury.
BACKGROUND: Low to moderate alcohol consumption is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases; however, chronic high-dose alcohol ingestion causes cardiovascular injuries such as hypertension. The time response of alcohol-induced hypertension and associated tissue oxidative stress response has not been fully explored. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the time response of high-dose alcohol ingestion on blood pressure (BP) and to correlate the alterations in plasma nitric oxide (NO) levels and oxidative stress parameters in rats. METHODS: Male Fisher rats (200 g to 250 g) were divided into two groups of 30 animals each and treated as follows: control (5% sucrose, orally) and 20% ethanol (4 g/kg, orally) daily for 12 weeks. The BP (systolic, diastolic and mean) was recorded every week using the tail-cuff method. Six animals from each group were sacrificed at six, eight, 10 and 12 weeks after treatment, and blood was collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Systolic and mean BP were significantly elevated after six weeks, whereas diastolic BP was elevated after eight weeks of daily ethanol ingestion. BP elevation was related to a significant increase in plasma malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls, and a significant decrease in plasma NO, ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione and the CuZn-superoxide dismutase and Mn-superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase antioxidant enzyme activities in a time-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: The duration of alcohol ingestion is important in the induction of hypertension and the associated NO and antioxidant depletion, and oxidative tissue injury.
Authors: Y Zhang; R R Crichton; J R Boelaert; P G Jorens; A G Herman; R J Ward; F Lallemand; P de Witte Journal: Biochem Pharmacol Date: 1998-01-01 Impact factor: 5.858