medical Definition of alcohol dehydrogenase
: any of various dehydrogenases that catalyze the reversible oxidation of an alcohol to an aldehyde or ketone
Note:
In humans, alcohol dehydrogenase is found especially in the liver and mucous-membrane lining of the stomach as a zinc-containing enzyme composed of two identical subunits that catalyzes the oxidation of an alcohol (such as ethanol) to an aldehyde (such as acetaldehyde) in the presence of NAD.
- Normally, alcohol is broken down by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which in turn produces acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that can cause high blood pressure, skin flushing, and vomiting.
- —Meredith F. Small, Discover, July 2002
