Ethanol administration in the drinking fluid to pregnant rats as a model for the fetal alcohol syndrome

Differential effects of ethanol ingestion on somatostatin content, somatostatin receptors and adenylyl cyclase activity in the frontoparietal cortex of virgin and parturient rats

“…The experimental protocol for the prolonged ethanol treatment of the parturient rat used in this study was the same as that employed by Testar et al (1986). In this model, the percentage of ethanolderived calories and the maternal blood ethanol levels were similar to those reported when ethanol was given in a liquid diet.…”

“…The daily fluid intake was also determined by volume difference between the offered and remaining liquid, and ethanol calories were estimated as 7.1 kcal/g. Twenty animals were divided into four groups (n = 5 per group) and treated according to the following schedules (Testar et al, 1986): ethanol-treated rats received Purina Rat Chow ad libitum and 10, 15, 20 and 25% (v/v) ethanol in their drinking water on successive weeks before pregnancy. At the end of the 4th week the animals were mated with normal males and given 25% ethanol in their drinking water during gestation.…”

Low Intestinal Lactase Activity in Offspring from Ethanol-Treated Mothers

“…Fiber-treated rats re ceived ad libitum the standard control diet diluted 50% with cellulose and water as drinking fluid. Total caloric intake of these animals was 75% of the agematched controls, and it was found that the daily caloric intake of these animals was similar to the caloric intake from solid diet of ethanol-treated rats [13]. Control rats were handled in the same way as the other experimental groups, fed ad libitum with the normal standard diet and water as drinking fluid.…”

“…After mating with nontreated males (day 0 of pregnancy), pregnant rats were kept on 25 % ethanol in drinking water until delivery. This dose of ethanol produced an ethanol ingestion that corresponds to 30-35% of the whole caloric intake, and makes the rats isocaloric with con trol rats fed ad libitum [13]. Fiber-treated rats re ceived ad libitum the standard control diet diluted 50% with cellulose and water as drinking fluid.…”

“…Four weeks before pregnancy, the animals were divided into three experimental groups and subjected to different nutritional treatments [13]: ethanoltreated rats received 10, 15, 20 and 25% (w/v) of eth anol in the drinking fluid on successive weeks before fecundation (pregestational period). After mating with nontreated males (day 0 of pregnancy), pregnant rats were kept on 25 % ethanol in drinking water until delivery.…”