Antioxidants prevent depletion of [Mg2+]i induced by alcohol in cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells: possible relationship to alcohol-induced stroke.

Low serum concentrations of Mg(2+) ions have been reported, recently, in patients with coronary disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke as well as in patients with cerebral hemorrhage. The aim of the present study was to determine whether potent antioxidants [alpha-tocopherol and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC)] can prevent or ameliorate intracellular Mg(2+) (Mg(2+)) depletion associated with cerebral vascular injury induced by alcohol. Exposure of cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells to alcohol (10-100 mM) for 24 h induced marked depletion in Mg(2+) (i.e., approximately 30-65%, depending upon alcohol concentration). Treatment of the cultured cells with either PDTC (0.1 microM) or alpha-tocopherol (15 microM) for 24 h, alone, failed to interfere with basal Mg(2+) levels. However, preincubation of the cells with either alpha-tocopherol or PDTC for 24 h completely inhibited the depletion of Mg(2+) induced by exposure to 10-100 mM ethanol. These results indicate that alpha-tocopherol and PDTC prevent decreases in Mg(2+) produced by ethanol. Moreover, these new results suggest that such protective effects of alpha-tocopherol and PDTC on cerebral vascular cells might be useful therapeutic tools in prevention and amelioration of cerebral vascular injury and stroke in alcoholics.