Effect of thyroid hormones on the activities of hepatic alcohol metabolizing enzymes.

Treatment with thyroxine or triiodothyronine for 7 days in order to simulate a hyperthyroid state results in an enhanced activity of the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system. Conversely, a decrease of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase activity was observed under these experimental conditions, whereas hepatic catalase activity remained unchanged. These findings suggest that if chronic ethanol consumption simulates a “hyperthyroid hepatic state”, increased rates of ethanol metabolism observed following prolonged alcohol intake might therefore be attributed at least in part to an induction of microsomal ethanol oxidizing system activity in the liver.