NORADRENERGIC SUBSENSITIVITY OF RAT-LIVER HOMOGENATES DURING CHRONIC ETHANOL INGESTION

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 13  (2) , 283-295
Abstract
Prior studies indicated that chronic ethanol feeding induced noradrenergic subsensitivity of the cerebral cortex. Sensitivity was measured using the cyclic AMP (cAMP) response of brain slices to norepinephrine (NE). The possibility that noradrenergic receptors in a visceral organ might be similarly affected by ethanol feeding was investigated. The cAMP response of liver homogenates to NE was measured. Chronic ethanol ingestion induced subsensitivity of the liver to NE similar to that observed in the brain. The equieffective dose (ED50) was shifted to the right from 2.1 .times. 10-5 M to 1.3 .times. 10-4 M NE. By 3 days of ethanol withdrawal the cAMP response returned to control levels.