title: High intracolonic acetaldehyde values produced by a bacteriocolonic pathway for ethanol oxidation in piglets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human colonic contents and many colonic microbes produce considerable amounts of acetaldehyde from ethanol in vitro.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine in piglets if acetaldehyde is produced in the colon also in vivo, and if so, what is the fate of intracolonically formed acetaldehyde.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen native, non-fasted female piglets (20-25 kg) were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six piglets received either 1.5 g/kg bw or 2.5 g/kg bw of ethanol intravenously. In seven piglets, 0.7 g or 1.75 g of ethanol/kg bw was administered intravenously, followed by a subsequent intragastric ethanol infusion of 1.8 g/kg bw and 4.5 g/kg bw, respectively. The samples of colonic contents for the assessment of ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations were obtained up to seven hours. In four additional piglets, the intracolonic values of ethanol, acetaldehyde, and acetate were observed for 60 minutes after an intracolonic infusion of acetaldehyde solution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A raised intracolonic, endogenous acetaldehyde concentration (mean (SEM); 36 (9) microM) was found in all piglets before ethanol infusion. After the infusion of ethanol, intracolonic ethanol and acetaldehyde values increased in parallel, reaching the peak values 57 (4) mM of ethanol and 271 (20) microM of acetaldehyde in the group that received the highest dose of ethanol. A positive correlation (r = 0.45; p < 0.001) was found between intracolonic ethanol and acetaldehyde values. Acetaldehyde administered intracolonically was mainly metabolised to acetate but also to ethanol in the colon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant endogenous intracolonic acetaldehyde values can be found in the normal porcine colon. Furthermore, our results suggest the existence of a bacteriocolonic pathway for ethanol oxidation. Increased amounts of acetaldehyde are formed intracolonically from ingested ethanol by this pathway.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Alcohol Diseases, University Central Hospital of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jokelainen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matysiak-Budnik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mäkisalo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Höckerstedt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salaspuro
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000431:Ethanol; D000079:Acetaldehyde