Abstract

Objectives: The effect of long-term alcohol administration on brain arginase enzyme activity, ornithine and urea levels and the changes induced by administration of vitamins C and E were investigated.

Study Design: Seventy-five male Wistar Albino rats between 4-6 months of age were used. Five study groups, each consisting of 15 rats were formed. The first group received oral glucose with a calorie value equivalent to alcohol. The second group received alcohol, the third, fourth and fifth groups received vitamins C, E and C+E, respectively, in addition to alcohol, for 20 weeks. All animals were sacrificed by the end of 20 weeks and arginase activity, ornithine and urea levels were measured in brain tissue samples.

Results: In the treatment groups, arginase activities, ornithine and urea levels were significantly higher than the alcohol group (group 2).

Conclusion: These results suggest that the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme which isshown to have increased in chronic alcohol intake, may cause a decrease in arginase enzyme activity via depleting the L-arginine pool. Antioxidant replacement therapy may increase the arginase enzyme activity and therefore lead to a decrease in nitric oxide production which has been shown to have some negative effects. On the other hand, simultaneously increased polyamine production may potentiate the beneficial effects of these vitamins.Thus, vitamins C and E may prove to be effective in reducing the deleterious effects of chronic alcohol consumption.