[Catecholamines in the tissues and blood of rats after administration of acetaldehyde and ethanol]

Acetaldehyde alone and in combination with acute and chronic ethanol intoxication has been studied for its effect on the concentration of epinephrine and norepinephrine in different brain areas, in the heart muscle, in adrenals and blood plasma of rats. Acetaldehyde is shown to enhance the epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in the brain areas which are non-specific for neuromediation of the mentioned catecholamines. The joint administration of acetaldehyde and ethanol increased the epinephrine concentration in adrenals probably due to the effect of acetaldehyde. On the contrary, the norepinephrine concentration in the heart decreased because of the action of ethanol. The authors' data show that acetaldehyde becomes an inductor of the mechanisms of hormone-mediator dissociation, thus altering the functions of vegetative-adrenal system. The results of the investigation support the hypothesis that acetaldehyde plays a significant role among pathogenic factors of ethanol intoxication, since it changes in a special way the catecholamine concentration in the brain and in peripheral tissues.