title: Aldehyde oxidizing capacity of erythrocytes in normal and alcoholic individuals.
abstract: The acetaldehyde metabolizing capacity in blood of alcoholics and nonalcoholics was investigated by an improved head-space gas chromatographic method. Great individual and interindividual variability was observed. The mean acetaldehyde oxidizing capacity of 3.51 nmoles/min/ml erythrocyte suspension in alcoholics was significantly lower than the mean of 5.20 nmoles/min/ml in nonalcoholics. Furthermore, treatment of alcoholics with aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors reduced the acetaldehyde oxidizing capacity significantly (mean of 1.67 nmoles/min/ml). No acetaldehyde could be detected in blood of nonalcoholics who ingested 0.25 g ethanol/kg body weight whereas levels of 2-14 microM were detected in blood of alcoholics. After disulfiram, an elevation to 7-103 microM in blood of alcoholics was observed.
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000079:Acetaldehyde