Effect of some thiocarbamate compounds on aldehyde dehydrogenase and implications for the disulfiram ethanol reaction

The effects of S-methyl diethyldithiocarbamate, S-methyl diethylmonothiocarbamate and bis(diethylcarbamoyl) disulphide on sheep liver cytoplasmic aldehyde dehydrogenase were investigated in vitro. The first compound has negligible effect. The second one is a weak inhibitor of the esterase activity of the enzyme and a weaker inhibitor of the dehydrogenase activity. A very low concentration of the third compound, however, acts as a potent inactivator of aldehyde dehydrogenase, similar in this respect to disulfiram, although somewhat slower to react. The possible involvement of these compounds in the physiological phenomenon known as the disulfiram ethanol reaction is discussed.