Behavioral toxicity of increasing doses of ethanol in malnourished rats

In order to verify the toxicity of ethanol in malnourished rats, the following procedure was applied to two groups of rats (n = 12 each): group W: drinking water ad libitum and group E: drinking only an ethanol solution in a gradual dosage (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40% v/v). In the well-nourished phase, all rats received food ad libitum (AW and AE). Ethanol treatment (AE) was interrupted for two weeks. Rats from both AW and AE groups were submitted to food restriction (50% of AW consumption)--malnourished phase (M)--and liquid was offered as described before. Signs of ethanol intoxication were recorded daily. Ethanol withdrawal symptoms and the open-field test were performed 24 h after the well-nourished and malnourished phases. Rats were sacrificed for macroscopic evaluation of liver, spleen, thymus and biochemical analyses of the blood (hematocrit, hemoglobin, proteins and albumin). Malnourished rats showed more signs of ethanol intoxication and withdrawal. In the open-field test, malnourished rats ambulated more and made more rearing up. This effect of malnutrition was not observed during ethanol withdrawal. Consumption of ethanol decreased the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit and total proteins. Data suggested that toxic profile of ethanol was dependent on nutritional status.