NADPH-dependent oxidation of methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol by hepatic microsomes

Hepatic microsomes catalyze the oxidation of methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol to their respective aldehydes. The reaction requires molecular oxygen and NADPH and is inhibited by CO, sharing thereby properties with other microsomal drug oxidations. This microsomal alcohol oxidizing system increases in activity after chronic ethanol consumption and operates independently from catalase as well as alcohol dehydrogenase. It appears responsible, at least in part, for the alcohol metabolism by the alcohol dehydrogenase independent pathway of the liver.