title: Blood ethanol and acetaldehyde levels in Japanese alcoholics and controls.
abstract: Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isozyme I deficiency in hair root samples from 105 healthy individuals and 72 alcoholics was determined using isoelectric focusing. From these individuals, 12 male alcoholics (2 with ALDH isozyme I deficiency and 10 normal) and 45 healthy controls (18 with ALDH isozyme I deficiency and 27 normal) were investigated for their blood ethanol and acetaldehyde levels by gas chromatography after an acute dose of alcohol (0.5 g ethanol/kg body wt.). Peak blood ethanol values of about 10 mmol/l were attained after 1 hour both in alcoholics and normal controls irrespective of their ALDH type. There was no significant difference in the blood ethanol level during the 5 hr post-drinking period in both the groups. Peak blood acetaldehyde concentration was significantly higher in healthy controls and alcoholics deficient in ALDH isozyme I after alcohol drinking (about 30 micro-mmol/l) than in individuals with normal ALDH isozyme I (3 micro-mmol/l). However, no significant difference in blood acetaldehyde was observed between alcoholics and controls.
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000172:deficiency*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000172:deficiency*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D000431:Ethanol; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000079:Acetaldehyde