Alcohol, Amines, and Alkaloids: A Possible Biochemical Basis for Alcohol Addiction

Tetrahydropapaveroline is a benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid derivative of the biogenic amine, dopamine. Alcohol, by way of its primary metabolite, acetaldehyde, competitively inhibits nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-linked aldehyde dehydrogenase and augments the formation of tetrahydropapaveroline in vitro. The limited capacity of brain to oxidize aldehydes may be of pharmacological importance because it facilitates the production of tetrahydropapaveroline in the presence of drugs which inhibit this enzyme.