Alcohol metabolizing enzymes in the liver and stomach of the hamster.

It is established that the hamster prefers to drink alcohol under free choice situations. A gender difference in alcohol preference by the hamster has also been reported. In the present investigation, the alcohol metabolizing enzymes of hamsters of both sexes were measured. The liver alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities were similar in both genders. A weak stomach alcohol dehydrogenase activity was also detected at high ethanol concentration; moreover, the activity of this enzyme in the male hamsters was 22% higher than that in the females. The total alcohol dehydrogenase activity in the stomach was less than 0.5% of that in the liver. Such a low activity suggested that the enzyme was unlikely to play a significant role in explaining the gender difference on alcohol preference in the hamster.