Benzyl alcohol increases voluntary ethanol drinking in rats

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Anabolic steroid nandrolone decanoate's effect on ethanol intake is debated.
• Previous studies show conflicting results regarding nandrolone's impact on alcohol consumption.
• A key difference identified was the presence of benzyl alcohol (BA) in one study's nandrolone formulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if benzyl alcohol (BA) promotes ethanol drinking.
• To assess the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-gonadal (HPAGA) axes in BA's potential effects on alcohol consumption.
• To clarify discrepancies in prior nandrolone decanoate research.

Main Methods:

• Male AA and Wistar rats received subcutaneous benzyl alcohol (BA) or vehicle oil for 14 days.
• A 1-week washout period followed, preceding a 3-week voluntary alcohol consumption phase.
• Serum testosterone and corticosterone levels were monitored at multiple time points, with specific attention to ethanol-mediated changes.

Main Results:

• Benzyl alcohol (BA) treatment significantly increased voluntary ethanol consumption in both AA and Wistar rats (p < 0.01).
• No significant effects of BA on basal or ethanol-mediated serum testosterone and corticosterone levels were observed.
• Higher frequency of testosterone elevations post-ethanol administration was noted in high-drinking AA rats compared to Wistar rats (p = 0.02).
• Skin irritation and dermatitis occurred exclusively in BA-treated animals.

Conclusions:

• Benzyl alcohol (BA), not nandrolone itself, likely explains increased ethanol intake in previous studies using Deca-Durabolin.
• The HPAGA axes do not appear to mediate BA's effect on ethanol consumption.
• Earlier findings using Deca-Durabolin containing BA require re-evaluation due to the pro-ethanol effects of BA.