The effect of ethyl alcohol solution with a reduced content of deuterium on the development of chronic alcohol intoxication in the experiment

Background. Protium/deuterium isotope exchange reactions can have a significant effect on the metabolic systems of cells and the whole organism. An imbalance in isotope homeostasis can have both a protective and a negative effect under various pathological conditions.

Aim. To determine the nature of the influence of an ethyl alcohol solution with a reduced content of deuterium on the development of chronic alcohol intoxication in rats.

Material and methods. The study was performed on five groups of rats, 10 animals in each: the first group — control, the second and third groups — alcoholization for 1 month, the fourth and fifth groups — alcoholization for 2 months. At the same time, rats of the third and fifth groups received a solution of ethyl alcohol with a reduced content of deuterium. For the development of alcohol intoxication, the animals received a 10% ethanol solution in the 1st week, a 20% solution in the 2nd week, and a 30% ethanol solution starting from the 3rd week. Water with a reduced content of deuterium was obtained using an installation developed at the Kuban State University by the method of electrolytic separation. In the blood plasma of laboratory animals, markers of cytolysis (activity of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase) and oxidative stress (content of thiol groups, glutathione concentration, activity of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) were determined. To analyze the data, nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests were used, which were calculated using the StatPlus program.

Results. As a result of the studies, it was found that the activity of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase against the background of ethyl alcohol introduction to animals in water with a reduced content of deuterium during 2 months of the experiment was increased to the level of median values of 51.7; 65.7 and 174.8 U/l, respectively. These indicators statistically significantly exceeded the values of similar parameters of the groups of rats treated with alcohol solution in ordinary distilled water by 22% (p=0.0129), 45% (p=0.0236) and 55% (p=0.0123), respectively. In the study of the SH-groups level (0.29 u.o.d.×100/g of protein) in blood plasma and the concentration of glutathione (1.46 μmol/ml) in the erythrocyte suspension in animals of the fifth group, values that were reduced relative to the fourth groups by 12–17% were determined.

Conclusion. Isotopic modification of an ethanol solution, aimed at reducing the level of deuterium, is accompanied by a more severe course of chronic alcohol intoxication; this is confirmed by the greater severity of the cytolytic syndrome and the imbalance of the antioxidant system.