Alcohol Dehydrogenases (ADH)

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Enzymes, which oxidize in the energy metabolism alcohol in presence of the coenzyme NAD to acetaldehyde. Occurrence in the liver, in addition, in the digestive tract (gastroenterale ADH) as well as in yeasts. Yeast ADH is used as enzyme for blood alcohol determination, see ADH procedure.

Genetically human ADH is present at 5 different gene loci (called ADH1 to ADH5), whereby ADH2 and ADH3 form 3 sub-groups (polymorphisme). The individual ADH enzymes differ in their activity concerning ethanol up to the factor 1000.

Whether ADH defects have an influence on the development of alcoholism, is so far not yet clearly clarified.