Betaine protects the brain against alcohol and aspirin

Physicians recommend aspirin for prevention of heart attacks and stroke in people above the age of 40 years. In some cases, alcohol consumption accompanies aspirin intake. In this study, the in vitro effects of different doses of ethanol (50, 100, and 200 mM) and 100 μg/mL of aspirin and the possible protective role of betaine (0.5 and 1 mM) were investigated on rat cerebral synaptosomes.

Synaptosomally enriched fractions, derived from Sprague Dawley rat brains, were incubated with ethanol and aspirin so as to measure sialic acid (SA), nitric oxide levels, and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities, which are known to be the markers of alcohol damage. When combined with aspirin, ethanol increased SA levels compared with the control group at all doses, resulting in loss of SA residue from synaptosomal membrane. Betaine (0.5 mM) decreased SA levels with respect to the ethanol (200 mM) plus aspirin group (p < .05), thereby preventing SA loss. Moreover, betaine reversed the destructive effects of ethanol by elevating reduced nitric oxide levels. Aspirin, when combined with all doses of ethanol, increased ADA activity, which is crucial for purine metabolism. ADA activities were also elevated in betaine-administered groups.

We propose that betaine is an effective compound in protecting the rat brain synaptosomes against ethanol and aspirin together.

Sogut and Kanbak (2010). "In vitro effects of ethanol with aspirin on rat brain synaptosomes: the potential protective role of betaine." Int J Neurosci 120(12): 774-83.