Ammonia potentiates the lethal effect of ethanol on rats

作者：Rejniuk V L^*; Schafer T V; Ivnitsky Ju Ju

来源：Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2008, 145(6): 741-743.

DOI：10.1007/s10517-008-0191-6

• ethanol
• endogenous ammonia
• atmospheric ammonia
• hyperammonemia

Blood ammonia concentration increased in the portal vein (by 1.4 times) and inferior vena cava (caudal to the renal vein inflow, by 2.2 times; and cranial to the hepatic vein inflow, by 2.5 times) of rats 3 h after intragastric administration of 16.57 M ethanol solution (446 mmol/kg, approximate to 1.4 LD50/48 h). Ammonia concentration in mixed blood samples (post-decapitation) increased by 39%. The rate of ammonia accumulation was 3-fold higher in an intraperitoneal lavage solution. Three-hour exposure of ethanol-treated animals to atmospheric ammonia (0.84-1.07 mg/liter, i.e. approximate to 1/8LC(50) for intact rats) was followed by a 2.4-fold increase in blood ammonia concentration as compared to specimens of the ethanol group. Ammonia inhalation potentiated the lethal effect of ethanol (dose variation factor 0.81), suppressed external respiration, and decreased oxygen consumption. Our results indicate that kinetic changes in endogenous ammonia have an adverse effect on the outcome of alcohol intoxication in rats.

• 出版日期2008-6
• 单位中国人民解放军军事医学科学院