Intragastric alcohol causes endothelin release from feline pancreas.

The mechanism by which alcohol causes pancreaticdamage is still largely unknown. One importantcontributory factor may be the endothelins, potentvasoconstricting endothelialderived peptides. The aim of this study was to examine in vivo endothelinrelease from the pancreatic vascular endothelium afteralcohol ingestion. In anesthetized cats immunoreactiveendothelin was measured in serum after instillation of alcohol into the stomach (20 ml, 40%). Afterintragastric alcohol, a rise in endothelin was seen inpancreatic venous effluent (to a mean of 24.5 ±7.7 pg/ml at 60 min). Control serum from the femoral artery exhibited no rise in endothelin (2.11± 1.2 pg/ml). Pancreatic blood flow wassignificantly decreased in a further group to 93% basalafter intravenous infusion of 0.1 nmol/kg ET-1 and to61% after infusion of 1 nmol/kg ET-1. Portal serum levelsof endothelin were 105 pg/ml and 15 pg/ml, respectively,immediately following bolus infusion and decreased tonormal levels within 120 sec. We conclude that the serum endothelin rise after intragastricethanol may be a major factor behind the drop inpancreatic blood flow.