Blood and liver acetaldehyde concentrations during ethanol oxidation in C57 and DBA mice

Hepatic and blood acetaldehyde concentrations during ethanol oxidation were determined in C57 and DBA mice. Liver acetaldehyde was determined with the perchloric acid-thiourea method (no artefactual acetaldehyde formation). Levels ranging from 5 to 118 nmole/g were observed. At ethanol concentrations below 50-60 mumole/g, liver acetaldehyde concentrations were higher in DBA compared with C57 mice. A positive correlation was found between the ethanol and acetaldehyde concentration, when ethanol concentration was below 25 (DBA) or 70 mumole/g (C57). At higher ethanol concentrations the correlations tended to become negative. Artefactual acetaldehyde formation during the analytical procedures was obtained with the use of hemolysis, with or without thiourea, and semicarbazide methods for blood acetaldehyde determination. The magnitude of the artefactually formed acetaldehyde was of such order that no conclusions regarding the existence of true in vivo blood acetaldehyde concentrations could be drawn. Earlier reported mice blood acetaldehyde concentrations are suggested to be re-evaluated.