Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Vitamin A

“Thus supplementation of folate, choline and vitamin A to mothers may mitigate the effects of the alcohol and reduce the severity or prevalence of FAS.”

“The high vitamin A level may cause damage of the central nervous system, especially in young rats exposed to ethanol in the prenatal period.”

“More …) alcohol acts as … inhibitor of vitamin A oxidation to retinoic acid involving alcohol dehydrogenases and acetaldehyde dehydrogenases; (2) alcohol-induced cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP), particularly CYP2E1, enhance catabolism … A and retinoic acid; and (3) alcohol alters retinoid homeostasis by increasing vitamin A mobilization from liver to extrahepatic tissues.”

“We show that mechanistically, ethanol is antagonistic to retinol (Vitamin A) and retinal conversion to retinoic acid, and that the organizer is active in retinoic acid signaling during early gastrulation.”

“The presentations were (1) Roles of vitamin A, retinoic acid, and retinoid receptors in the expression of liver ALDH2, by J. Pinaire, R. Hasanadka, … of oxidation pathway from retinol to retinoic acid in esophageal mucosa, by Haruko Shiraishi, Hirokazu Yokoyama, Michiko Miyagi, and Hiromasa Ishii; and (6) Ethanol … retinol ….”

“Accordingly, prolonged use of alcohol , drugs, or both, results not only in decreased dietary intake of retinoids and carotenoids, but also accelerates the breakdown of retinol through cross-induction of degradative enzymes.”

“Thus ethanol , while promoting a deficiency of vitamin A also enhances its toxicity as well as that of beta-carotene.”

“The metabolism of retinol and the generation of retinoic acid is a function of class I and class IV ADH, and its inhibition by alcohol may lead to an alteration of epithelial cell differentiation and cell growth and may also be involved in ethanol-associated gastrointestinal cocarcinogenesis.”

“One interaction that could possibly alter fetal development is that the synthesis of RA from retinol , catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase, might be competitively inhibited by ethanol leading to RA deficiency.”

“The rationale for this hypothesis … that: (1) in adults, ethanol … vitamin A metabolism and tissue distribution; (2) there are many phenotypic similarities between fetal alcohol syndrome and malformations of both vitamin … deficiency; and (3) the vitamin A metabolite, retinoic acid (RA), is a potent mediator in embryogenesis and differentiation.”

“ Alcohol also alters the degradation of key nutrients, thereby promoting deficiencies as well as toxic interactions with vitamin A and beta carotene.”

“ Alcohol also alters the degradation of key nutrients, thereby promoting deficiencies as well as toxic interactions with vitamin A and beta-carotene.”