Alcohol Metabolism

- AKASH , BA - 2005
Alcohol Metabolism

- Akash BA-2005
 Alcohol
In chemistry, alcohol is an organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl
(-OH) functional group bound to a saturated carbon atom.

The term alcohol originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol, which
is used as a drug and is the main alcohol present in alcoholic drinks
Alcoholic Drinks
 Alcohol Metabolism

Alcohol (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) is readily absorbed by the stomach

and intestine.

Consequently, More than 90% of alcohol is eliminated by the liver;

less than 2% of the alcohol consumed is excreted through lungs, urine and
sweat.

Alcohol gets oxidized in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde.

Besides ADH, microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) is also involved in
the metabolism of alcohol.

Aldehyde, produced by the action of either ADH or MEOS, is responsible for

the manifestations of alcohol.

The enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase converts aldehyde to acetic acid which

then enters Krebs cycle in the form of acetyl CoA.

Since the activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase is less than that of alcohol

dehydrogenase, acetaldehyde accumulates leading to various complications.
 Alcoholism
A chronic disease characterised by uncontrolled drinking and
preoccupation with alcohol.

Alcoholism is the inability to control drinking due to both a physical

and emotional dependence on alcohol.

Also called: alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction

 Biochemical changes in alcoholism

The metabolism of alcohol (by both dehydrogenases) involves the

consumption of NAD+, and consequently a high NADH/NAD+ ratio.

This is mostly responsible for the metabolic alterations observed in

alcoholism.

Some of them are explained in Next Slides.

High concentration of NADH favours the conversion of pyruvate to lactate
which may lead to lactic acidosis.

Hypoglycemia due to reduced gluconeo- genesis is observed. This happens

as a result of decreased availability of pyruvate and oxaloacetate (the latter
gets converted to malate by high NADH).

Citric acid cycle is impaired since the availability of oxaloacetate and NAD+
is reduced. As a result, acetyl CoA accumulates which gets diverted towards
ketogenesis, cholesterologenesis, and fatty acid synthesis. Accumulation of
fats leads to fatty liver and hyperlipidemia.
Increased concentration of serum uric acid due to its reduced
excretion is observed in alcoholism. This is due to lactic acidosis.

Acetaldehyde interferes with the functioning of neurotransmitters,

with an overall effect of neurological depression.

Acetaldehyde causes headache, nausea, tachycardia, reduced blood

pressure etc.
 Effects of chronic alcoholism
Chronic alcoholism is associated with cirrhosis of liver,
neurodegenerative changes,cardiomyopathy, diuresis, impotence
etc.
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