Bernice Sawyerr

Ghana

The Effect of 60% Ethanol and Local Gin (akpeteshie) on the structural damage in the brain of lab mice.

Bernice F. Sawyerr1, Michael A. Ghanney1, Sandra Assiful1, Moses B. Agbodzalu1, Theophilus Addison1, Divine B. Onyekachi1, Isaac B. Mensah1,2, Akua Karikari1

1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast-Ghana.
2. School of Pharmacy, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast- Ghana.

Abstract

Background

Alcohol is a substance that has psychoactive properties and is widely recognized for its intoxicating and addictive effects. Extensive research has established a strong link between alcohol use and a significant global public health issue (Sontate et al., 2021). With over 3 million deaths annually worldwide, along with a substantial burden of disabilities and health problems, alcohol use ranks as one of the leading risk factors for poor health and early mortality(Park & Kim, 2020). Alcohol’s negative effects on the immune system, especially when used frequently and heavily, are overly concerning since they impair the body’s defenses against infectious diseases. Alcohol has harmful effects on every organ in the body over the short and long terms and the risk of health impairment increases with each unit ingested. We determined the negative effect of excessive drinking of alcohol on the structures of the brain.

Methods

Laboratory mice were used in accordance with NIH guidelines for animal care and use. The mice were divided into 3 groups and administered orally with either 60% ethanol (5 mL/kg bw daily) or 50% (v/v) local gin (“akpeteshie” from Amamoma and Ayensu) for 10 days.
The mice were weighed daily prior to administration. All mice were fasted for 12 hours and sacrificed, and brain tissues were collected, washed with distilled water, and preserved in 4% formalin after the treatment period. The samples were dehydrated in graded alcohol and xylene, implanted in paraffin, sectioned at 5 µm, and stained with toluidine blue stain and H&E for microscopic analysis. Chemical tests were performed on the local gin to identify the presence of aldehydes, ketones, phenols, and heavy metals like lead, zinc, chromium, and cadmium.

Results

The local gin (akpeteshie) was found to contain harmful contaminants, including aldehydes and elevated levels of lead. Findings revealed astrocytic proliferation in both the akpeteshie and EtOH-treated groups, with the akpeteshie group exhibiting a higher degree of astrocyte activation. Furthermore, both granulated and degranulated mast cells were present in the brains of mice treated with akpeteshie and EtOH, with significant mast cell infiltration observed in the akpeteshie and 60% EtOH groups.

Conclusions

Pure ethanol and akpeteshie both exhibit toxic effects on the brain. However, akpeteshie poses a greater risk of brain damage than pure ethanol, likely due to the presence of harmful contaminants such as lead (Pb) and aldehydes present in it. Chronic lead exposure disrupted astrocyte-neuron energy transfer, causing neuroinflammation. Alcohol and acetaldehyde, a metabolite, pose significant health risks, including oxidative stress and cancer. The significance of these findings underscores the urgent need for regulatory oversight of the production and sale of local alcoholic beverages to reduce exposure to harmful contaminants and mitigate long-term health consequences in vulnerable populations.