Aldehyde dehydrogenase inducibility and ethanol preference in rats.

Rats selected for their high or low induction by phenobarbital of the liver soluble aldehyde dehydrogenase were subjected to an ethanol preference test. In addition, rats raised by genetic selection for their preference either to drink or to avoid an ethanol solution were treated with phenobarbital to detect a possible variation in the inducibility of aldehyde dehydrogenase in hepatic cytosol. No clear correlation could be found between aldehyde dehydrogenase inducibility and ethanol preference. Phenobarbital administration to rats genetically preferring or avoiding ethanol revealed that they had a similar response so far as aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was concerned. Animals compelled to drink a 10% ethanol solution for two weeks did not exhibit any significant increase in the activities of aldehyde and D-glucuronolactone dehydrogenase. The results show that ethanol drinking is unable to induce aldehyde dehydrogenase activity of hepatic cytosol in the rat. Similarly, the inducibility of the soluble aldehyde dehydrogenase activity by phenobarbital does not seem to correlate with the alcohol preference in the rat.