Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Biochemistry and Chemical Biology Forum => Topic started by: AhmedEzatAlzawalaty on September 28, 2007, 07:20:48 PM
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ethyl alcohol metabolism in the liver involves oxidation to acetaldehyde which is very toxic then the latter is oxidized to acetic acid which is responsible for pleasure,as long as acetic acid is eliminated from the body one feel that he needs to drink more and more so if we could stop metabolism at oxidation to acetaldehyde that is very toxic and with real bad odour appears in mouth ,one can quit drinking.
My question is:does any one know what drugs or chemicals in market stop metabolism of EtOH at acetaldehyde step?
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If you stop the conversion of acetaldehyde to acetic acid, you get a buildup of toxic acetaldehyde. A buildup of toxic substance can be fatal. However, the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetaldehyde_dehydrogenase) converts acetaldehyde to acetic acid. If you somehow inhibit this enzyme, you can stop the metabolism of acetaldehyde.
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but if acetaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme is inhibited also there will be buildup of toxic acetaldehyde,but i am sorry you did not get the question right because i asked what drugs or chemicals would do this inhibition of enzyme?
when one who drinks feels that his mouth smells bad he will stop drinking,this is the idea.So what inhibits the enzyme?
more do u think that some one takes the mysterious drug i am looking for and there is toxic substance in his body,will he continue drinking?
i dont think so .So when he stops drinking ,accumulation of toxic aldehyde will stop too.
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The commercial treatment disulfiram (antabuse) is an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor, and has exactly that effect, causing tachycardia, flushing, extreme nauseea and vomiting, sweating, heart palpitations, shakes, and other nasty symptoms, used to pursuade pisspots that drinking is baaaaadddd.. ;D
The common inky cap (Coprinus atrementarius) contains a fair quantity of coprine, enough to make a meal of the fungus toxic if alcohol is taken coincidentally or within a few days of such a meal (the mushroom itself is delicious fried though when young, before the autodigestive deliquescence shown by most Coprinus species)
Boletus luridus also contains coprine, although possibly other gastrointestinal toxins, and unidentified indolic material is present in some relatives of it (B.Satanas), so I wouldn't use them for trying to self detox.