Antagonism between pyridoxine and pyridoxine disulfate and ethyl alcohol

Abstract

An experimental investigation was planned in order to base a possible antagonistic influence of pyridoxine and pyri­ doxine disulphide upon the toxic effect of alcohol.

Pyridoxine disulphide is a new compound that can substi­ tuto the pyridoxine advantegeously. Initially we have foundthat pyridoxine and pyridoxine disulphide considerably redu­ ces the percentage in mortality rate in rats with acute alcoholic intoxication. The present work was carry out using guinea-pigs principally and rats, and a series of cats and some dogs, narcotized previously with thiopental and some cases with uretane, even though we waited sufficient time for the recupera­ ron from narcosis, does proving with the EEG control previous to the administraron of alcohol. It was administered in most cases by intraperitoneal injection (one dose only), and some cases by slow intravenous injection. Simultaneously EEG and ECG was registered, studying its alterations during the alcoholic intoxication and the favourable modification of the same below the effect of the pyridoxine and the pyridoxine disulphide which can be taken as criteria o£ the antialcoholic effectivencss.

A lineal correlation was found between the grade of regularity of the EEG and the cardiac frequency ; at the same time that this diminished the EEG became progressively disrhytmic. Both characteristics were considered to discard theanimáis not apt for the experiment.

In guinea-pigs, the intraperitoneal injection of the 20 cc/kg of alcohol to the 20 % arise lentification of the EEG on theaverage within 3 minutes after injection. There also appcar in the EEG, after the injection of alcohol an irritating paroxistic activity with hypersynchronic spikes.

In no case were these alterations spontaneously reversible towards normality, being observed in some cases a rapid evolu- tion towards death, preceded by a progressive depression in the electroencephalographic activity stimulating a record of anoxia.

The administration of pyridoxine in high level doses and of pyridoxine disulphide slows down the appearance of the EEG lentification following the injection of alcohol, prevents the irritative paroxistic activity caused by it, and improves the degree of recuperation in relation to the group control.

The acute alcoholic intoxication causes a progressive diminishing of the cardiac frequency, an effect which neither Pro­ gressive níƒor is stablished in animals treated with pyridoxine and pyridoxine disulphide.

These exposed results, considered as a whole, reveal a so called protector effect of pyridoxine and pyridoxine disulphide against the effeets of acute alcoholic intoxication.