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Effects of Acute Ethanol Administration on Stimulated Parotid Secretion in the Rat
Author(s) -
Scott J.,
Berry M. R.,
Woods K.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1989.tb00378.x
Subject(s) - ethanol , saliva , pilocarpine , chemistry , endocrinology , medicine , distilled water , parotid gland , alcohol , secretion , anesthesia , chromatography , biochemistry , dentistry , psychiatry , epilepsy
Young adult male rats previously never exposed to ethanol were given a single dose of 4 ml of 35% (v/v) ethanol in water by direct intragastric intubation (approximate weight related dose = 5.2 g/kg). Control rats were given distilled water in the same volume by the same route or were given no intragastric fluids. After administration of Valium‐Hypnorm anesthesia, parotid salivary secretion was stimulated by subcutaneous pilocarpine HCl (10 mg/kg), and accurately timed samples were collected. No differences were recorded in the rate of salivary flow during the initial (5‐min) high‐flow phase of secretion, but during the subsequent 25‐min phase of secretion the output in ethanol‐treated rats was depressed by 60% compared to controls ( p < 0.01). Furthermore, electrolyte analyses of this saliva indicated that salivary ductal resorptive activity might be diminished in the presence of high blood ethanol. However, when rats were previously habitually exposed to ethanol at a twice daily dose of 4 ml of 35% (v/v) ethanol in water, the inhibitory action of acute ethanol administration was abolished. Moreover, in these rats there was significantly depressed [Na + ] in both high‐flow and low‐flow saliva samples ( p < 0.01) with little change in [Na + ] occurring at higher flow rates. This suggests the possibility of enhanced ductal resorption developing in rats exposed to long‐term ethanol feeding.