Biomaterial Database

Alcohol metabolism and fetal hypoplasia in chick brain. 1988

S N Pennington

Department of Biochemistry, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858.

Chick embryos given a single dose of ethanol (1.0 g/kg) at the start of incubation (day 0) had widely differing levels of blood alcohol when sacrificed on day 7 and the blood alcohol levels were inversely correlated with whole body and brain weight. Clearance of the alcohol by the embryos was inhibited by simultaneous treatment with 4-methyl pyrazole and this treatment potentiated the brain growth inhibition due to ethanol. Treatment with indomethacin lowered blood alcohol levels on day 7 and protected against the growth inhibition. These data suggest that early chick embryos have varying amounts of alcohol dehydrogenase-like metabolic activity and that higher levels of this activity protect against alcohol-induced brain growth inhibition in this model. If similar variations in the ability to metabolize alcohol exist in human fetuses, it may represent a mechanism by which comparable maternal doses of alcohol produce widely varying fetal effects.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007213	Indomethacin	A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAID) that inhibits CYCLOOXYGENASE, which is necessary for the formation of PROSTAGLANDINS and other AUTACOIDS. It also inhibits the motility of POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES.	Amuno,Indocid,Indocin,Indomet 140,Indometacin,Indomethacin Hydrochloride,Metindol,Osmosin
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011720	Pyrazoles	Azoles of two nitrogens at the 1,2 positions, next to each other, in contrast with IMIDAZOLES in which they are at the 1,3 positions.
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D002642	Chick Embryo	The developmental entity of a fertilized chicken egg (ZYGOTE). The developmental process begins about 24 h before the egg is laid at the BLASTODISC, a small whitish spot on the surface of the EGG YOLK. After 21 days of incubation, the embryo is fully developed before hatching.	Embryo, Chick,Chick Embryos,Embryos, Chick
D000077604	Fomepizole	A pyrazole and competitive inhibitor of ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE that is used for the treatment of poisoning by ETHYLENE GLYCOL or METHANOL.	4-Methylpyrazole,4-Methylpyrazole Monohydrochloride,Antizol,4 Methylpyrazole,4 Methylpyrazole Monohydrochloride
D000426	Alcohol Dehydrogenase	A zinc-containing enzyme which oxidizes primary and secondary alcohols or hemiacetals in the presence of NAD. In alcoholic fermentation, it catalyzes the final step of reducing an aldehyde to an alcohol in the presence of NADH and hydrogen.	Alcohol Dehydrogenase (NAD+),Alcohol Dehydrogenase I,Alcohol Dehydrogenase II,Alcohol-NAD+ Oxidoreductase,Yeast Alcohol Dehydrogenase,Alcohol Dehydrogenase, Yeast,Alcohol NAD+ Oxidoreductase,Dehydrogenase, Alcohol,Dehydrogenase, Yeast Alcohol,Oxidoreductase, Alcohol-NAD+
D000431	Ethanol	A clear, colorless liquid rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout the body. It has bactericidal activity and is used often as a topical disinfectant. It is widely used as a solvent and preservative in pharmaceutical preparations as well as serving as the primary ingredient in ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.	Alcohol, Ethyl,Absolute Alcohol,Grain Alcohol,Alcohol, Absolute,Alcohol, Grain,Ethyl Alcohol
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia