Dexmedetomidine improves alcohol withdrawal symptom via activating α2 adrenergic receptor in rat hippocampus.
- Author:
Ting ZENG
1
;
Hong-Yan ZHANG
2
;
Xin ZHAO
1
;
Yan LIU
1
;
Yan-Zhong GUAN
3
Author Information
1. First Clinical School, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang 157011, China.
2. Department of Physiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang 157011, China.
3. Department of Physiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang 157011, China. guanyanz@hotmail.com.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists/therapeutic use*;
Alcoholism/drug therapy*;
Animals;
Dexmedetomidine/therapeutic use*;
Hippocampus/metabolism*;
Male;
Norepinephrine;
Rats;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley;
Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/metabolism*;
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/drug therapy*;
Yohimbine/pharmacology*
- From:
Acta Physiologica Sinica
2022;74(4):541-547
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of α2 adrenergic receptor agonist dexmedetomidine on withdrawal symptoms in alcohol-dependent rats and the underlying mechanism, so as to provide a scientific basis for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were orally administered with 6% aqueous alcohol continuously for 28 d to establish alcohol drinking model, and then stopped drinking to induce AWS. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the content of norepinephrine (NE) in the locus coeruleus and hippocampus of rats. Dexmedetomidine (5, 10, and 20 μg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected respectively when the rats showed significant AWS. In some rats, α2 adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine was injected into hippocampus in advance. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the 6 h withdrawal group exhibited significantly increased AWS score and amount of repeat drinking. The NE contents in hippocampus and locus coeruleus of the last drinking and the 6 h withdrawal groups were significantly increased compared with those of the control group. Dexmedetomidine intervention significantly decreased AWS score and hippocampus NE content in the 6 h withdrawal group, while yohimbine could reverse these effects of dexmedetomidine. These results suggest that dexmedetomidine might improve the withdrawal symptoms in alcohol-dependent rats via activating α2 adrenergic receptor.
