Ethanol oxidation in the living brain.

AIM The examination of the possibility of ethanol oxidation in the brain in vivo and the evaluation of the enzyme catalase in this process. METHODS We anesthetized rats and perfused the brain with ethanol solutions through the lateral ventricle and collected the perfusate from the Cisterna magna. We determined ethanol and acetaldehyde in the perfusate by gas chromatography. RESULTS It was found that the passage of ethanol solution (85 and 90 mM) through the ventricular system of the rat brain (6-43 microl/min) results in the significant (up to 98%) elimination of ethanol from the perfusing fluid and in the appearance of acetaldehyde (up-to 60 microM) in the perfusate. The addition of the catalase inhibitor, aminotriazole, (10 mM) to the perfusing fluid decreased ethanol elimination significantly. CONCLUSIONS The ethanol oxidation and AA accumulation take place in the living brain. The enzyme catalase is involved in this process.