Research on the Influence of Variations in Environmental Temperatures on the Systemic Effects of Alcohol Alone and in Combination with Other Drugs

摘要

The acute toxicity of ethyl alcohol was doubled by 24 hours exposure to 0-5C, immediately prior to administration of the test. Rates of alcohol metabolism were not significantly altered by either acute or prolonged cold exposure, though body temperatures were altered significantly. When animals were habituated by receiving an aqueous solution of alcohol as their only source of fluid intake, equilibrium was impaired to a greater extent in some cold-exposed groups, the total increase in body weight per unit of time was depressed, the absorption rate was greater and oxidation rate slower than in groups habituated at room temperature. While the blood pentobarbital concentration was increased in animals exposed to cold for long periods, cold alone had no effect on the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital, and affected the increased sleeping time resulting from the simultaneous administration of alcohol and pentobarbital only when the two drugs were given within a short interval and the dose of alcohol was low. Chlorpromazine had a bivalent effect on body temperature, raising the temperature in animals exposed to cold and lowering the temperature in animals maintained at room temperature or when given to cold exposed animals in combination with alcohol. Cold had a brief effect on the impairment produced by alcohol and chlorpromazine together.