Catalase Activity and Ethanol Metabolism in the Rat.

Abstract

In an attempt to assess the importance of hepatic catalase activity in the metabolism of ethanol, the rate of alcohol metabolism in control rats was compared with that in experimental rats which were injected intraperitoneally with 3-amino-l,2,4-triazole (AT). Hepatic catalase activity in the experimental animals, 5 hours after AT was administered, averaged only 28.2% of the value in controls, but there was no statistical difference between the rates of alcohol metabolism. These findings indicate that hepatic catalase does not play an important role in ethanol metabolism.