Influence of ethanol and dexamethasone on blood-brain barrier dysfunction to albumin

Stab-wounded ethanol-intoxicated and non-intoxicated rats were studied with respect to the effect of postoperative dexamethasone treatment on blood-brain barrier dysfunction to bovine albumin. In ethanol-intoxicated rats, fluorescence microscopy revealed an increased area of extravasation of fluorescent tracer, compared to non-intoxicated ones. No significant effect of dexamethasone treatment was observed in non-intoxicated rats. In ethanol-intoxicated rats, dexamethasone treatment resulted in a decreased area of extravasation. Quantitative immuno-electrophoretic measurements of exogeneous bovine albumin confirmed a significant decrease of blood-brain barrier dysfunction to albumin after dexamethasone treatment in ethanol-intoxicated rats, while no significant effect was observed in non-intoxicated ones.