INFLUENCE OF EXERCISE AND ETHANOL ON CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY AND LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN BLOOD AND BRAIN-REGIONS OF RAT

1. This study elucidates the interaction of acute exercise and single ethanol intake on cholinergic enzyme and its relationship to lipid per oxidation in the blood and brain regions of the rat. 2. Butyrylcholine sterase (BuChE) in plasma and acetylcholimesterase (AChE) in brain reg ions as well as lipid peroxidation (MDA) were assayed in 1) sedentary control rats; 2) after acute exercise (100% VO2max);3) ethanol 20% (1. 6 gm/kg, p.o.); 4) exercise and then ethanol 20% (1.6 gm/kg, p.o.). 3. Acute exercise significantly increased BuChE activity (155% of contro l) in plasma and decreased AChE activity (60% of control) in the corpu s striatum with a significant increase in the striatal MDA level (254% of control). Ethanol significantly decreased AChE activity only in st riatum (86% of control) with a significant increase in striatal MDA le vel (132% of control). 4. The combination of exercise and ethanol 20% (1.6 gm/kg, p.o.) significantly increased BuChE activity (123% of cont rol) in plasma, and decreased AChE activity (76% of control) in striat um with significant increase in striatal MDA level (147% of control). 5. Acute exercise, single ethanol 20% (1.6 gm/kg, p.o.) intake and the combination selectively inhibited striatal AChE, and the inhibition w as correlated with increased lipid peroxidation indicating perturbatio n of motor function. The combination reduced the peripheral stress res ponse caused by exhaustive exercise.