[The functional activity of the adrenocortical system and the transcortin-binding capacity of the blood plasma in rats during the development of tolerance to the narcotic action of ethanol].

Corticosterone levels were studied using HPLC in the blood plasma and tissues of rats after 1, 4, 7 and 10 injections of ethanol (3.5 g/kg, daily). Main parameters of binding of corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) were calculated using Scatchard's plots. It is shown that development of tolerance to the hypnotic action of ethanol in rats is accompanied with: 1) increased levels of corticosterone in the adrenal tissue, 2) gain of the adrenals' weight, 3) inhibition of the stressogenic elevation of corticosterone plasma levels, 4) decline in the binding capacity of plasma CBG, 5) reduced concentration of dexamethasone-sensitive steroid receptors in the liver. Negative correlations between the duration of ethanol-induced sleep and concentration of corticosterone were found: for adrenal tissue after 7 and for plasma after 10 injections of ethanol (24 hours after the injection).