[Alcohol and oxidative stress]

There is accumulating evidence pointing oxidative stress as a mechanism of ethanol toxicity. Oxidative stress takes place when the balance between the antioxidant defenses and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is tipped in favour of the latter. Ethanol metabolism is directly involved in the production of ROS, but ethanol also participated to the formation of an environment favourable to oxidative stress such as hypoxia, endotoxemia and cytokine release. Following ethanol intoxication, balance between prooxidants and antioxidants is disturbed to such an extent that it results in an oxidative damage of biomolecules. The ability of ethanol to induce peroxidation of membrane lipids is widely reviewed in literature. More recently it has also been described that ethanol can oxidize proteins and ADN. In this review, is also discussed the impairment of cellular function resulting from this situation of oxidative stress.