alcohol dehydrogenase

American  

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of ethanol and other alcohols to acetaldehyde using NAD+, the first step in the metabolism of alcohol by the liver.

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Example Sentences

Fomepizole works by blocking enzymes known as alcohol dehydrogenase, stopping the body from converting ethylene glycol and methanol into toxic byproducts.

From Science Daily

A: In the last 7 million to 21 million years our ancestors evolved a souped-up version of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol.

From Science Magazine

Researchers have recently learned that a mutation some 10 million years ago in the alcohol dehydrogenase gene greatly increased alcohol tolerance in the ancestor shared by humans and African apes.

From The Wall Street Journal

An enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH, is needed to begin breaking down alcohol.

From Washington Post

Carrigan looked one of the most prominent enzymes that does this job – called alcohol dehydrogenase – and found that in most animals, it isn’t very good at breaking down our favorite form of alcohol, known as ethanol.

From Forbes