Monosialogangliosides (GM1 and AGF2) reduce acute ethanol intoxication: Sleep time mortality, and cerebral cortical Na+, K+‐ATPase

Ganglioside pretreatment of mice reduced the sleep time, mortality, and loss of cerebral cortical membrane Na+, K+ ‐ATPase associated with acute ethanol treatment. Gangliosides GM1 and AGF2 (an internal ester of GM1) were optimally effective at a dose of 20 mg/kg when injected 24 hr and 1 hr prior to ethanol injection (3 mg/kg). Blood ethanol levels were slightly lower in GM1‐ and AGF2‐pretreated mice than in the saline‐ethanol group. The sleep times of GM1‐ and AGF2‐injected mice were 32 ± 10 min and 34 ± 12 min respectively vs. 58 ± 15 min for saline‐ethanol‐treated animals. Mortality was 64% and 34% in animals pretreated with GM1 or AGF2 and ethanol, respectively, while in animals treated with saline and ethanol the mortality was 80%. No decrease in crotical membrane Na+, K+ ‐ATPase was seen at 15 min or 40 min after ethanol administration in animals pretreated with AGF2. The decrease in cortical membrane ATPase from GM1‐treated animals was similar to losses in saline‐ethanol‐treated animals (25% after 15 min and 40% min). Pretreatment with either AG4 (asialo GM1) or sialic acid did not affect any of the parameteres tested.