Inhibition of ethanol- and aldehyde-induced release of ethane from isolated perfused rat liver by pargyline and disulfiram.

Acute addition of ethanol or acetaldehyde to the isolated, perfused rat liver leads to an increase in ethane and n-pentane release. These volatile hydrocarbons are known to originate from the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The effects are half-maximal at 0.5 mM ethanol or 20 microM acetaldehyde in the entering perfusate. Propionaldehyde and benzaldehyde are also able to elicit ethane release. Pargyline and disulfiram, inhibitors of aldehyde oxidation, inhibited the extra ethane release in all cases. The inhibitory effect of pargyline is suppressed during addition of metyrapone. The study indicates that the oxidation of acetaldehyde and not of ethanol itself is the step responsible for increased ethane formation by the perfused rat liver during ethanol infusion.