ALCOHOL-INTOXICATION AND WITHDRAWAL - THE ROLE OF NITRIC-OXIDE

Nitric oxide is an important messenger in the central nervous system a nd several types of evidence suggest that it mediates various alcohol effects. Treatment with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor enhances the acute central depressant or anesthetic effect of alcohol and decrease s some stimulatory effects of alcohol withdrawal after chronic alcohol treatment. Conversely, treatment with a nitric oxide donor inhibits t he anesthetic effect of alcohol, blocks the effect of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor on alcohol anesthesia, and enhances the severity o f some alcohol withdrawal signs. These results indicate that changes i n nitric oxide synthesis mediate some aspects of alcohol intoxication and withdrawal and that nitric oxide systems represent an important th erapeutic target for the development of agents to treat alcoholism and alcohol intoxication. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.