Ethanol combined with cocaine inhibits amylase release in guinea pig pancreatic lobules

Concurrent ingestion of alcohol and cocaine is a common occurrence in cocai ne-dependent individuals. Cocaethylene is a pharmacologically active metabo lite of cocaine that is formed in the liver in the presence of ethanol. The effects of ethanol combined with cocaine on the exocrine pancreas are not known. We studied the effect of ethanol and cocaine, alone or in combinatio n, and cocaethylene on amylase release from isolated lobules of the guinea pig pancreas. Incubation of lobules with ethanol plus cocaine produced a mo re evident reduction of amylase release than each drug alone. An even large r reduction was observed with cocaethylene. HPLC analysis of incubation med ium showed that no cocaethylene was formed in vitro in the presence of etha nol anti cocaine. It is concluded that cocaethylene could strongly contribu te to inhibition of exocrine pancreatic secretion in individuals who coadmi nister alcohol with cocaine. (C) 2001 Academic Press.