[The possible protective effect of cysteine during acute alcohol intoxication]

In the experimental conditions used, cysteine administered per os together with ethanol reduces the blood alcohol levels, but does not modify significantly the rate of alcohol oxidation. No effect of cysteine administration is however observed when ethanol is injected intraperitoneally. Cysteine addition in vitro enhances ethanol consumption by liver slices and reduces at the same time 14CO2 production from [2-14C] ethanol. This effect is only observed with a high cysteine/ethanol molar ratio. The changes in the blood alcohol level resulting from cysteine administration do not appear to result from such an interaction with ethanol oxidation, but seem to be due to a delayed ethanol absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.