Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

 

The effects of L-ascorbic acid, thiamine HCl, or L-cysteine on ethanol and acetaldehyde blood levels and disposition Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/f7623g26c

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • The effects of L-ascorbic acid, thiamine HC1, or L-cysteine on acetaldehyde blood levels and disposition were investigated in acetaldehyde- treated rats. Rats were treated with ascorbic acid (2 mmoles/kg), thiamine (0.24 mmole/kg), or cysteine (2 mmoles/kg) one hour before the administration of acetaldehyde (6 mmoles/kg). The results show that each of these nutrient factors lowered acetaldehyde blood levels but by different mechanisms. Ascorbic acid and thiamine lowered acetaldehyde blood levels by increasing the apparent volume of distribution. Cysteine lowered the blood levels by direct interaction with acetaldehyde. Ascorbic acid and thiamine increased the half life of acetaldehyde by 300% and 250%, respectively. Cysteine had no significant effect on either the half life or the volume of distribution of acetaldehyde. Disulfiram (1 mmole/kg/3 days) was used to inhibit the metabolism of acetaldehyde. The effects of ascorbic acid, thiamine, or cysteine on acetaldehyde blood levels and disposition were then investigated in the disulfiram-acetaldehyde-treated rats. Ascorbic acid and thiamine reduced the half life of acetaldehyde by 55% and 40%, respectively. Both agents increased the total body clearance, and reduced the volume of distribution of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde blood levels were lowered by thiamine, but not by ascorbic acid. Cysteine had no significant effect on either the blood levels or the kinetic parameters of acetaldehyde in the disulfiram-acetaldehyde-treated rats. When ethanol (2 gm/kg) was used as an endogenous source of acetaldehyde, ascorbic acid and thiamine showed no significant effects on either the ethanol or acetaldehyde blood levels. Both agents, however, reduced the total amount of acetaldehyde relative to ethanol. Cysteine increased the blood levels and the half life of acetaldehyde. It reduced the total body clearance, and increased the total amount of acetaldehyde relative to ethanol, an effect opposite to those of ascorbic acid and thiamine. The effects of ascorbic acid, thiamine or cysteine on the blood levels and disposition of ethanol and acetaldehyde were investigated in disulfiram-ethanol-treated rats. Only ascorbic acid was effective in lowering ethanol and acetaldehyde blood levels. It reduced the half life of ethanol by 20%, and that of acetaldehyde by 24%. Ascorbic acid also increased the total body clearance of ethanol by 27%. It seems that the protective effects of ascorbic acid, thiamine or cysteine against acetaldehyde-induced mortality, as formerly reported (Moldowan and Acholonu, 1982), may be due to the reduction in acetaldehyde blood levels. Because ascorbic acid and thiamine in creased the half life of acetaldehyde (in acetaldehyde-treated rats), their use in chronic acetaldehyde exposure (such as in chronic alcoholism) may lead to acetaldehyde accumulation. Cysteine lowered acetaldehyde blood levels without affecting the half life or the volume of distribution. It is less likely to lead to acetaldehyde accumulation. However, the beneficial effect of cysteine seems to be limited to exogenously administered acetaldehyde. Because cysteine reduced the clearance and metabolism of acetaldehyde generated from ethanol, its use in chronic alcoholism may not be recommended. The protective effect of ascorbic acid against disulfiramethanol-induced lethality may be due to its ability to lower the ethanol and acetaldehyde blood levels. The reduction in blood levels is coupled with increase in ethanol and acetaldehyde disposition.
Resource Type
Date Available
Date Issued
Degree Level
Degree Name
Degree Field
Degree Grantor
Commencement Year
Advisor
Academic Affiliation
Non-Academic Affiliation
Subject
Rights Statement
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Digitization Specifications
  • File scanned at 300 ppi (Monochrome) using ScandAll PRO 1.8.1 on a Fi-6670 in PDF format. CVista PdfCompressor 4.0 was used for pdf compression and textual OCR.
Replaces

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

In Collection:

Items