Is ethanol a pro-drug? The role of acetaldehyde in the central effects of ethanol

摘要

Acetaldehyde, the first product of ethanol metabolism, has been speculated to be involved in many behavioral effects of ethanol. However, its precise role remains a matter of debate, with some researchers suggesting that acetaldehyde has no role in the effects of ethanol and others contending that ethanol is a pro-drug whose pharmacological action is mediated by acetaldehyde. Recent studies support a role for acetaldehyde in the stimulant, reinforcing, hypnotic and amnesic effects of ethanol, and, in particular, alcohol abuse and alcoholism. However, current evidence indicates that acetaldehyde is not involved in some of the major neurochemical effects of ethanol. It is therefore likely that ethanol and acetaldehyde molecules act synergisti-cally to determine the multiple neurochemical and behavioral effects of alcohol consumption.