Title:Endogenous Bufadienolide, Blood Pressure and Alcohol Withdrawal
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
Author(s): Vladimir A. Kashkin*, Alexei Y. Egorov, Evgeniy M. Krupitsky and Alexei Y. Bagrov*
Affiliation:
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov State Medical University, St. Petersburg, 197022,Russian Federation
- Department of Neuroscience, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, St. Petersburg, 194223,Russian Federation
Keywords:
Alcohol withdrawal, systolic blood pressure, marinobufagenin, human, endogenous bufadienolide, plasma MBG.
Abstract:
Background and Objective: Previously, it was demonstrated that marinobufagenin
(MBG) is implicated in the development of ethanol withdrawal in rats. It has been shown that
ethanol withdrawal is associated with a pressor response in the alcoholics. We hypothesized that elevated
levels of sodium pump ligand, MBG, would underline the increase in systolic blood pressure
during alcohol withdrawal in humans.
Methods: The cohort included 9 patients with the diagnosis “alcohol dependence syndrome”
(F10.(1-3) according to ICD-10). The blood samples for measurement of MBG concentration were
collected from the subjects on the first day of withdrawal and after 7 days treatment of the abstinence.
Arterial blood pressure was measured via plethysmography at the same time points.
Results: The beginning of the alcoholic abstinence was associated with the rise of arterial blood
pressure with enhanced levels of plasma MBG. At day 7 following withdrawal, the systolic blood
pressure and MBG levels were decreased to normal values.
Conclusion: The development of alcohol withdrawal is accompanied by an increase in arterial
blood pressure, which is associated with increased plasma MBG concentration.
