Prostaglandin involvement in ethanol's mechanism of action

Prostaglandin (PG) synthesis inhibitors antagonize behavioral responses to alcohols, suggesting PG involvement in the mechanism of action of alcohols. This report presents biochemical data indicating that ethanol increases in vivo brain PGE and PGF levels in Long Sleep (LS) and Short Sleep (SS) mice, with the LS mice showing the greatest ethanol-induced increases in PGE and PGF levels. Increases in brain PGE and PGF levels were highly correlated across dose and time with the absorption phase of ethanol. These results provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that ethanol produces its intoxicating effects to a significant degree through a prostaglandin mediated mechanism.