Final answer:
Gender differences in alcohol metabolism are due to variations in gastric ADH activity, resulting in slower metabolism in women. Antabuse inhibits ALDH, causing acetaldehyde accumulation and deterring alcohol consumption. Ethanol competes with methanol for ADH binding, serving as an antidote in methanol poisoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the alcohol dehydrogenase system within the body, specifically focusing on gender differences in the metabolism of alcohol and which medications can inhibit this system. In humans, alcohol is primarily metabolized by the liver, where it undergoes a two-step enzymatic process starting with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) which converts ethanol to acetaldehyde and is then further processed by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) to produce acetate, a non-toxic substance. Studies have shown that women metabolize alcohol more slowly than men due to differences in gastric ADH activity and body composition.
Regarding medications affecting this system, Antabuse (disulfiram) is well-known for inhibiting ALDH, leading to the accumulation of acetaldehyde and resulting in unpleasant effects upon alcohol consumption. This method can be used therapeutically to deter people from drinking. Additionally, in cases of methanol poisoning, ethanol can be used as an antidote to compete with methanol for ADH, allowing excretion of methanol before it can be converted into the toxic compound, methanal (formaldehyde).
Another related enzyme is G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase); however, deficiencies in this enzyme lead to a separate set of health concerns, and it is not directly involved in the metabolism of alcohol.