Vitamin A, gender and ethanol interactions
Messiha, F.S.
Neurobehavioral Toxicology and Teratology 5(2): 233-236
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0275-1380 PMID: 6346126 Document Number: 197712
The effect of short-term oral administration of Vitamin A on voluntary intake of ethanol (ET) in rats with preference to ET was studied as a function of sex and of androgen intervention. There was a statistically significant reduction in voluntary intake of ET by the Vitamin A treatment, 500 mg/kg/day for 5 days, in the female but not in the male rat. Administration of an androgen, i.e., testosterone 0.1 mg/kg/day for 5 days, exerted no effect on voluntary drinking of ET by the female rat. Coadministration of same dosage of testosterone and of Vitamin A once daily for 5 consecutive days to female rats resulted in less aversion to ET drinking compared to that obtained by Vitamin A alone. Hepatic alcohol and aldehyde-dehydrogenase were not altered by Vitamin A treatment, 500 mg/kg/day for 5 days, in female rats maintained on water ad lib. This is contrasted with induction of liver aldehyde dehydrogenase in male rats. The results suggest that aversion to ET drinking by Vitamin A is not metabolically related and is probably due to its antiestrogenic property and that testosterone partially antagonizes this effect due to its androgenic property in the female rat.