Tag: Aldehyde dehydrogenase

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, almost 30 million people in the U.S. had alcohol use disorder in 2022. For some individuals, a medication called Antabus (disulfiram) is used as a deterrent, and its effectiveness is rooted in a specific pharmacological process, explaining what is the mechanism of action of Antabus.

A disulfiram-like reaction occurs when certain medications interact with alcohol, causing an accumulation of acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism [1.5.6]. This leads to a host of unpleasant and potentially dangerous symptoms, mimicking the effect of the drug Antabuse [1.2.1].