Changes in blood acetaldehyde levels after ethanol administration in alcoholics.
Serial changes in blood ethanol (Et-OH) and acetaldehyde (Ac-CHO) levels following a single oral administration of 0.8 g/kg of Et-OH were determined in order to clarify the metabolism of Ac-CHO in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The Et-OH metabolic rate (EMR) in alcoholics either with or without liver disease was significantly higher than the rate in nonalcoholics. Peak values of blood Ac-CHO levels and the Ac-CHO/EMR ratios in ALD were significantly higher than those in subjects with nonALD or alcoholics and nonalcoholics without liver disease. In the type I aldehyde dehydrogenase isozyme deficient cases (unusual type), blood Ac-CHO levels and Ac-CHO/EMR ratios were very high and the levels remain at a plateau until 90 minutes after Et-OH administration and then decreased relatively quickly. Changes in blood Ac-CHO levels and Ac-CHO/EMR ratios in ALD were similar to those in cases of the unusual type. These results indicate that Ac-CHO metabolism in ALD is decreased relative to its production and that this decrease might be due to increased production of Ac-CHO in the nonalcohol dehydrogenase pathway located in the microsomes, in which degradation of Ac-CHO was slow.
Takase
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
Yasuhara
M
M
Takada
A
A
Ueshima
Y
Y
D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged
D007527:Isoenzymes; D000431:Ethanol; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000079:Acetaldehyde