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Home Q & A Board Biology-Related Homework Help Biochemistry
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michelegoulet michelegoulet
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11 years ago
I heard that it breaks down alcohol, so does it is neutralizing the effects of alcohol, making it less toxic? Shouldn't it be a good thing?
Is there a way to speed up the this process of breaking down alcohol, like some sort of catalyst?
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#1
11 years ago
actually, metabolites of alcohol are responsible for its toxicity. Dehydrogenases oxidize ethanol to acetaldehyde which in itself is toxic. Not as toxic as formaldehyde, though, which is a metabolite of methanol.
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#2
11 years ago
Yes, alcohol dehydrogenase is an enzyme which breaks down the alcohol.

It is not due to neutralizing effects of alcohol but due to oxidation of alcohol to aldehyde. In the body, alcohol dehydrogenase is limited. The coenzyme of alcohol dehydrogenase in the alcohol breakdown mechanism is NAD+.
This reaction is known as detoxification reaction in liver.
CH3CH2OH +  NAD+ ----alcohol dehydrogenase---->CH3CHO+ NADH + H+
I am not sure that there are the other catalysts or enzyme present for alcohol breakdown or not.
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