Does Catalase Participate in the Physiological Oxidation of Alcohols?

Abstract

In purified preparations catalase and hydrogen peroxide can peroxidatively oxidize alcohols. A number of workers have directly stated or implied that such a catalase oxidation of alcohols is of physiological importance in vivo. The author has reviewed the field and brings forth a variety of evidence in favor of the view that alcohol dehydrogenase mediates the first step in the metabolism of both methanol and ethanol and against the idea that catalase participates in this metabolism.