ALCOHOL INHIBITS 11-BETA-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE-ACTIVITY IN RAT-KIDNEY AND LIVER

Male Wistar rats were treated with different ethanol concentrations diluted in drinking water in order to evaluate the effect of acute ethanol intoxication on 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-OHSD) activity in liver and kidney tissue homogenates. Rats with the highest ethanol consumption (15% ethanol supplementation) showed a significant decrease in both hepatic and renal 11 beta-OHSD activity as compared to the control group (p < 0.005). In the same group, aldosterone plasma levels were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.01), while corticosterone (B) plasma levels were slightly higher, suggesting that the increase in intrarenal B concentrations, probably related to the acute ethanol consumption, might be responsible for a nonspecific B mineralocorticoid activity.