Characteristics of Alcohol Metabolism of Hahyangju in Rats

This study was conducted to examine the volatile flavor compounds of Hahyangju, a traditional Korean liquor, and to evaluate the effect of the beverage on alcohol metabolism in rats. By GC/MS analysis, 17 volatile flavor compounds including iso-butyl alcohol and iso-amyl alcohol were detected in Hahyangju. The concentrations of acetaldehyde and ethylacetate in Hahyangju were decreased by filtration. Alcohol (0.035 mg/dL) and acetaldehyde (0.29 mg/dL) levels in the blood of rats given Hahyangju (HT animals) were lower than in rats given 17% (v/v) alcohol (AT rats). Also, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities in HT rats were moles/mg protein and moles/mg protein, respectively, and were higher than in AT animals. The increases in ADH and ALDH activity in HT animals resulted in decreases in alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in blood, compared to the levels seen in rats given 17% (v/v) alcohol. These results suggest that Hahyangju may increase alcohol metabolizing activity, and consumption of Hahyangju may result in less of a hangover than follows ingestion of beverages (such as wine) containing about 17% (v/v) alcohol.