Antagonism of acute alcohol intoxication by naloxone

Abstract

We have previously shown that proprietary naloxone hydrochloride (Narcan) reverses the disturbance of the redox states of the hepatic NAD(P) couples and causes a simultaneous lowering of blood-ethanol concentration in acutely-ethanol-intoxicated rats. We now confirm these findings by using pure naloxone hydrochloride and demonstrate the inability of the methyl-4-hydroxybenzoate preservative present in the Narcan ampoules to influence the above effects of ethanol.