CHRONIC ETHANOL-CONSUMPTION AFFECTS CHOLINOCEPTOR-MEDIATED AND PURINOCEPTOR-MEDIATED CONTRACTIONS OF THE ISOLATED RAT BLADDER

Isolated bladder strips from 12-week ethanol-fed, pair-fed, and contro l adult male rats were investigated. Contractile responses to carbacho l (CCh; 0.1-300 mu M) were statistically significantly potentiated in the ethanol-fed group compared to pair-fed and control. Contractions t o beta,gamma-methylene ATP (beta,gamma-MeATP; 1-300 mu M) were statist ically significantly potentiated in the ethanol-fed group at the highe st concentration tested (300 mu M). Neurogenic contractions (0.5-32 pp s) from the ethanol-fed group in the absence of atropine and after des ensitisation by alpha,beta-methylene ATP (alpha,beta-MeATP; 3 mu M), w ere significantly potentiated compared to the pair-fed and control gro ups; in the presence of atropine (1 mu M), neurogenic contractions wer e significantly augmented at the higher frequencies. It is concluded t hat chronic ethanol treatment affects both cholinoceptor- and purinoce ptor-mediated contractions of the rat bladder.