• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of oral supplementation of alanine and glutamine on alcohol metabolism. The subjects were 70 male ICR mice weighing 25-30 g. The animals were raised on standard rations artier weaning. After 24 hours of fasting, all the animals were given a peritoneal injection of 20% alcohol. Then, they were randomly divided into two groups: control and experimental. Fifteen minutes after the injection of alcohol, the mice in the experimental group wer given an oral solution of alanine(5 mM, 2 g/kg B. W) and glutamine (5 mM, 2g/kg B.W). The concentration of alcohol in the blood was measured in all the mice 20 minutes after they received the alochol, and the measurements continued every 20 minutes up to 140 minutes. The experimental group sustained lower blood alcohol levels at every 20 minute time interval compared to the control group, showing that oral supplementation of alanine and glutamine increases the rate of alcohol metabolism. Furthermore, the total amount of alcohol remaining in the blood, determined by using the Area Under the Curve (AUG) method, was lower in the group supplemented with alanine and glutamine, However, the effectiveness of alanine and glutamine in increasing the rate of alcohol metabolism, compared to the control group, diminished with time throughout the experiment. In conclusion, alanine and glutamine supplementation appears to promote alcohol metabolism shorthy after alcohol intake.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-51
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• 1984

After pretreatment with ginseng followed by induction of acute intoxication of alcohol, the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS) and aldehyde dehydrogenase(Ald DH) increased respectively compared to the groups treated with alcohol alone. In case that ginseng was given to rats fed with 5% alcohol instead of water for 60 days, the activities of ADH and MEOS increased compared to the groups treated. On the contrary, the activity of Ald DH in mitochondrial fraction decreased to an extent of about 35% in chronic alcoholism, but after pretreatment of ginseng the activity was restored to the control level. On the other hand, the catalase activity was not significantly affected by either treatment. Ginseng butanol fraction significantly increased the serum isocitrate dehydrogenase activity which is inhibited by alcohol-treated in rat. Alcohol-induced lactate dehydrogenase activity was decreased to control level in liver by ginseng treatment. And the serum level of lactic acid also decreased by ginseng treatment in alcohol-intoxicated rat. Ginseng butanol fraction markedly decreased the xanthine oxidase activity in the ethanol-treated rat liver. It was also observed that ginseng reduced the blood concentration of uric acid on experimentally reduced hyperuricemia by alcohol treatment. Uricase activity was not affected by either treatment. Ginseng butanol fraction decreased the hepatic aniline hydroxylase activity which was induced by alcohol-treated rat. These results suggest that the treatment with ginseng can be promoted the recovery from alcohol intoxication and some therapeutic effect on alcoholinduced metabolic disease.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2003

Most of the ethyl alcohol consumed by humans is oxidized to acetaldehyde in the liver by the cytoplasmic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) system. For this ADH-catalyzed oxidation of alcohol, $NAD^+$ is required as the coenzyme and $NAD^+$becomes reduced to NADH. As the $NAD^+$becomes depleted and NADH accumulates, alcohol oxidation is reduced. For continued alcohol oxidation, the accumulated NADH must be quickly reoxidized to $NAD^+$, and it is this reoxidation of NADH to $NAD^+$that is known to be the rate-limiting step in the overall oxidation rate of alcohol The reoxidation of NADH to $NAD^+$is catalyzed by lactate dehydrogenase in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, with pyruvate being utilized as the substrate. The pyruvate may be supplied from alanine as a result of amino acid metabolism via the urea cycle. Also, glutamine is thought to help with the supply of pyruvate indirectly, and to activate the urea cycle by producing $NH_3$. Thus, in the present study, we have examined the effects of alanine and glutamine on the alcohol oxidation rate. We utilized isolated perfused liver tissue in a system where media containing alanine and glutamine was circulated. Our results showed that when alanine (5.0mM) was added to the glucose-free infusion media, the alcohol oxidation rate was increased by 130%. Furthermore, when both glutamine and alanine were added together to the infusion media, the alcohol oxidation rate increased by as much as 190%, and the rate of urea nitrogen production increased by up to 200%. The addition of glutamine (5.0mM) alone to the infusion media did not accelerate the alcohol oxidation rate. The increases in the rates of alcohol oxidation and urea nitrogen production through the addition of alanine and glutamine indicate that these amino acids have contributed to the enhanced supply of pyruvate through the urea cycle. Based on these results, it is concluded that the dietary supplementation of alanine and glutamine could contribute to increased alcohol detoxification through the urea cycle, by enhancing the supply of pyruvate and $NAD^+$to ensure accelerated rates of alcohol oxidation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.307-314
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• 2005

Objectives : To survey college students with an Alcohol Use Disorder, and analyze the reasons for their disorder. Methods : The cross-sectional study was conducted at 60 four-year colleges within Seoul and 9 other provinces. The schools and students selected for the study provide a nationally representative sample, and the survey was conducted between May 15th and June 14th 2003. 2,385 cases were analyzed using questionnaires, which included a series of questions about students' alcohol use and associated problems, as well as an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Results : 42.3% of students were found to have an Alcohol Use Disorder. The probability of a student having an Alcohol Use Disorder was 1.30 times higher among male compared to female students. Those students not living with their parents or relatives were 1.40 times more likely to have an Alcohol Use Disorder. Those students where the father had a drinking problem and those who admitted that their parents drank heavily while they were growing up were 1.38 and 1.54 times more likely, respectively, to have an Alcohol Use Disorder. Those students attending a general university, joining a student club, attaining less than a B average credit score and those unsatisfied with their education were 1.60, 1.36, 1.41 and 1.27 times more likely, respectively, to have an Alcohol Use Disorder. Those students who had experience of drugs, smoking, binge drinking when they were in the last year of high school and the forceful consumption of mixed alcohol were 3.67, 1.95, 2.15 and 1.76 times more likely, respectively, to have an Alcohol Use Disorder. Conclusions : College students' with an Alcohol Use Disorder is a very severe and large problem within colleges. An Alcohol Use Disorder is determined by individual and family variables, the college environmental and life variables, as well as behavior variables.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.313-325
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• 1996

Experiments were undertaken to examine the ability of selenium to protect against alcohol and/or paraquat-induced hepatotoxicity and to examine the additive effect between alcohol and paraquat. Protective effect against hepatotoxic functions was measured in serum from alcohol(15% v/v), paraquat(200ppm), alcohol and paraquat, and combination of sodium selenite(4ppm) in drinking water-fed guinea pigs ad libitum for 4 weeks. A total of 68 healthy 7-weeks-old male animals were assigned at random to 8 treatment groups(9~13 animals/group). Body and liver weight losses, and high serum concentrations in aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT, in only paraquat group), $\gamma$-glutamyltranspeptidase($\gamma$-GTP), cholesterol(Cho), creatinine, blood urea nitrogen(BUN), total bilirubin(TB), direct bilirubin(DB), total protein(TP), albumin and globulin as well as low values in alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and glucose were produced in a groups of alcohol or paraquat-fed. These values were not potentiated in a group given the combination of alcohol plus paraquat. Morphological changes in the liver were also observed in the alcohol or paraquat-fed group. Lipid droplet and cell swelling in the hepatocytes were observed in alcohol-fed guinea pig, especially Mallory's hyaline arounded hepatic vein. In the paraquat-fed guinea pig, lipid droplet, pyknosis and karyolysis were observed. When alcohol or paraquat was combined with selenium-fed, hyperplasia of Kupffer cell in liver were observed. However, the mean ALT, $\gamma$-GTP, Cho, BUN, TB, TP, albumin and globulin values were lower in groups given the combination of alcohol and/or paraquat plus selenium, compared with groups given alcohol and/or paraquat. Also, the ratio of liver weight to body weight and ALP values(exception of paraquat plus selenium group) were increased by selenium. These results suggest that an adequate selenium confers marked protection against alcohol and paraquat-induced hepatotoxicity.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.311-319
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• 2017

Objectives: This article aimed to compare alcohol consumption between the populations of Queensland in Australia and Alberta in Canada. Furthermore, the associations between greater alcohol consumption and socio-demographic characteristics were explored in each population. Methods: Data from 2500 participants of the 2013 Alberta Survey and the 2013 Queensland Social Survey were analyzed. Regression analyses were used to explore the associations between alcohol risk and socio-demographic characteristics. Results: A higher rate of hazardous alcohol use was found in Queenslanders than in Albertans. In both Albertans and Queenslanders, hazardous alcohol use was associated with being between 18 and 24 years of age. Higher income, having no religion, living alone, and being born in Canada were also associated with alcohol risk in Albertans; while in Queenslanders, hazardous alcohol use was also associated with common-law marital status. In addition, hazardous alcohol use was lower among respondents with a non-Catholic or Protestant religious affiliation. Conclusions: Younger age was associated with greater hazardous alcohol use in both populations. In addition, different socio-demographic factors were associated with hazardous alcohol use in each of the populations studied. Our results allowed us to identify the socio-demographic profiles associated with hazardous alcohol use in Alberta and Queensland. These profiles constitute valuable sources of information for local health authorities and policymakers when designing suitable preventive strategies targeting hazardous alcohol use. Overall, the present study highlights the importance of analyzing the socio-demographic factors associated with alcohol consumption in population-specific contexts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.919-925
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• 2003

Alcohol consumption has numerous health consequences for the human body. For example, heavy drinking on a daily basis causes liver diseases, and certain products such as acetaldehyde produced from alcohol metabolism are more toxic than alcohol itself. Accordingly, the current study evaluated the role of Lactobacillus fermentum MG590 to enhance the removal of the toxic effect of alcohol in alcohol metabolism. The maximum activities of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) by L. fermentum MG590 were observed after 6 h of culture. The production of ADH and ALDH by L. fermentum MG590 was also confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Six hours after the addition of alcohol to a culture broth of L. fermentum MG590, the alcohol concentration decreased from 7.5 to 2.7％. From an in vitro evaluation based on hepatocytes, the viability of hepatocytes in a medium containing alcohol and the cytosol of L. fermentum MG590 was higher than that in a medium containing only alcohol. From an in vivo test using SD rats fed a 22％ alcoholic drink, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in the rats fed a medium containing L. fermentum MG590 were lower than those in the rats fed a medium containing only the alcohol drink. These results demonstrate that the ADH and ALDH produced by L. fermentum MG590 play an important role in detoxicating alcohol in vivo. Therefore, a fermentation broth of L. fermentum MG590 could be used as an effective alcohol detoxification drink.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.84-88
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• 1998

Composition of volatile flavor components of chestnut flower sand honey were investigated by GC and GC-MS. A total of 64 components including 14 aromatic compounds, 13 hydrocarbons, 7 fatty acids, 4 terpenes, 12 oxygenated hydrocarbons, and 7 misellaneous compounds and a total 41 components including 7 aromatic compounds, 16 hydrocarbons, 12 fatty acids, 1 terpene, 2 oxygenated hydrocarbons, and 3 misellaneous compounds were identified from total volatile concentrates of chestnut flower and honey respectively. The main components of flower volatile were 2-phenyl ethyl alcohol, 1-phenyl ethyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol which comprise 49.02% of this volatiles The main components of flower volatile were 2-phenyl ethyl alcohol, 1-phenyl ethyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol which comprise 49.02% of this volatiles. Aromatic compounds such as 2-phenyl ethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 1-phenyl ethyl alcohol, 1-(2-aminophenyl) ethanone act as major contributor to the characteristic honey-like flavor of chestnut honey.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.154-163
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• 1988

Effects of alchohol and fat content in a balanced diet on chemical composition and morphology of liver were investigated in growing rats. Fourth eight male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain weighing about 160g were divided into 4 groups ; high fat diet group, alcohol-administered high fat diet group, low fat diet group and alcohol-administered high fat diet group, low fat diet group and alcohol-administered low fat diet group. High and low fat diets supplied 30% and 12%, respectively, of total calorie intake from fat, and alcohol was given by adding ethanol in drinking waster at 10%. Diets contained adequate amounts of all nutrients required for rats, including lipotrpoic agents(choline and methionine) to minimize effects of factors other than alcohol on liver damage. Ratios of liver weight to body weight were statistically different among groups. Liver/dody weight ratios alcohol-administered rats were significantly higher than those of non-alcohol groups after 6 weeks treatment. Although total lipid and triglyceride per gram liver were increased in alcohol-administered rats, especially low fat diet fed rats, the values were not significantly different. Opticmicroscopical observation revealed increase in cell size and no change in morphology of liver. Examination of hepatocytes by electron microscopy showed that fat droplets were observed in all groups but enlarged in the alcohol-administered low fat diet fed rat. Contents of protein, cholesterol and phospholipid were not affected by alcohol consumption. The level of lipid peroxide was significantly lower in the livers of alcohol-administered rats than in the livers of non-alcohol groups. The results of this study indicate that even moderate alcohol drinking and dietary fat content did not affect any significant change in composition and morphology of liver until 6 week treatment but that even moderate alcohol drinking caused some signs of steatosis of liver.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.21-34
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• 2016

Objectives: This is to review drinking behavior and policies to reduce harms caused by alcohol use in Korea and to discuss their implications from a health promotion perspective. Methods: A purported selection was made to include extant literature on drinking behaviors and alcohol control policies into this review. For drinking behaviors reports of national health statistics were used while reports of alcohol control policies submitted to public institutes/organizations were selected for review. Results: Alcohol consumption per capita indicates stable trends over the last two decades. However, percentages of drinkers with high risk drinking over time vary; men remains stable while female appears to increase. Relatively, a few data and/or reports were available about harms derived from alcohol use. Although there are alcohol policies being cost-effective to deal with alcohol related harm in Western society, few alcohol policy available in Korea of being effective, cost-effective with respect to reduction of harms associated with alcohol use. Conclusions: Policy emphasis should be shift from drinkers to availability of alcohol to reduce alcohol related harms with taking health in all policies into consideration. Both statutory mechanism and public acceptance should be of high priority in putting recommended alcohol policy into action.