In vivo study on lead and alcohol interaction and the inhibition of erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in man.

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Abstract
The effect of alcohol (EtOH) consumption on the inhibition of erythrocyte .delta.-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) was investigated in 13 male Pb workers and 7 normal male subjects. Pb and zinc protoporphyrin in blood, and Pb, .delta.-aminolevulinic acid, porphobilinogen and coproporphyrin in 24 h urine specimens were also determined. During 1 h the subjects drank 122.8 (SD 18.65) ml of an almost Pb-free brandy, i.e., a dose of 11.07 mmol/kg body wt. This dose resulted in a trend towards a parallel decrease in ALAD activity and an increase in Pb in blood (PbB), both of which approached the prealcohol value 24 h after the initial alcohol ingestion. A trend toward increased Pb excretion in urine (PbU) was observed on the day of alcohol ingestion, as compared to the preceding and succeeding 24 h urine specimens. The increase in PbB and PbU was not attributed to the small amount of Pb ingested through the brandy, i.e., 7.09 (SD 1.06) nmol. The characteristic dose-effect relationship between PbB and ALAD (examined prior to and 1, 3, 5 and 24 h after the initial alcohol ingestion) reached the highest correlation coefficient 3 h after the initial alcohol ingestion (P < 0.001). The data supported the hypothesis of a possible role for the body Pb pool and the Pb-mediated influence of alcohol consumption on ALAD activity in man.

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