[Alcohol dehydrogenase activity of human and animal blood serum in acute and chronic alcoholic intoxication].

Alcohol dehydrogenase activity (ADH; KP 1.1.1.1.) in blood serum of rats and rabbits is 1 and 2 orders of magnitude higher than in humans. In chronic alcoholics, blood ADN is activated with an increase in alcoholism standing. Twelve hours after acute alcoholic intoxication alcoholics and heavy drinkers manifest a significant reduction in blood ADH activity. Acute alcoholic intoxication does not influence blood ADH in men who do not abuse alcohol. Chronic exposure of rabbits to ethanol leads to a decrease in ADH activity in the liver and to its rise in the blood. ADH activation is observed only in those animals which demonstrate the signs of fatty and protein liver dystrophy. It is concluded that chronic exposure to ethanol does not induce ADH synthesis in the liver. The blood ADH content ascends as a results of an increase in ADH transport from hepatocytes to the bloodstream.