Diminished inibitory action of ethanol on the contraction of gallbladder isolated from chronically ethanol-fed Guinea pigs

Laboratory models available to study alcohol-induced organ damage and immune variations: choosing the appropriate model

The morbidity and mortality resulting from alcohol-related diseases globally impose a substantive cost to society. To minimize the financial burden on society and improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from the ill effects of alcohol abuse, substantial research in the alcohol field is focused on understanding the mechanisms by which alcohol-related diseases develop and progress. Since ethical concerns and inherent difficulties limit the amount of alcohol abuse research that can be performed in humans, most studies are performed in laboratory animals. This article summarizes the various laboratory models of alcohol abuse that are currently available and are used to study the mechanisms by which alcohol abuse induces organ damage and immune defects. The strengths and weaknesses of each of the models are discussed. Integrated into the review are the presentations that were made in the symposium "Methods of Ethanol Application in Alcohol Model-How Long is Long Enough" at the joint 2008 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) and International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) meeting, Washington, DC, emphasizing the importance not only of selecting the most appropriate laboratory alcohol model to address the specific goals of a project but also of ensuring that the findings can be extrapolated to alcohol-induced diseases in humans.

The effect of moderate alcohol intake on gallblader motility a milk ultrasonographic study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of periodic and moderate alcohol intake on gallbladder motility.

METHODS

The ultrasonographic ellipsoid method was used in 21 healthy male subjects: 12 non-alcohol and 9 alcohol drinkers. The stimulus for gallbladder contraction was 165 ml of half cream milk. Gallbladder dynamics were studied for 20 minutes following the ingestion of the milk. The mean percentage change in gallbladder volume after 10 and 20 minutes gave indications of gallbladder motility.

RESULTS

Moderate and periodic alcohol intake did not stimulate rapid postprandial gallbladder emptying.

CONCLUSION

The protective effect of alcohol against biliary cholesterol cholelithiasis could not be due to stimulation of gallbladder emptying.