Acetaldehyde carcinogenic effects

Disulfiram is the generic name for Antabuse, a drug used in the treatment of chronic alcoholism. Disulfiram potentiates the toxic and carcinogenic effects of 1,2-dibromoethane in experimental animals. Presumably, this occurs by blocking conversion of the aldehyde metabolite as with acetaldehyde from ethanol. There is no evidence that similar effects occur in humans. Based on animal data, however, Ayerst Laboratories, producers of Antabuse (disulfiram), recommended the following in the package insert "Patients taking Antabuse tablets should not be exposed to ethylene dibromide or its vapors" (PDR 1991). 

Aldehydes are highly toxic compounds that are known to be human carcinogens. Formaldehyde is toxic through inhalation and is a strong irritant. The TLV is 1 ppm in air. Acetaldehyde is toxic, with narcotic effects. The TLV is 100 ppm in air, and the IDLH is 10,000 ppm. Propionaldehyde is an irritant. The toxicity hazards of the aldehydes also vary from one compound to another. Care should be taken to determine the exact hazards of any given compound. 

In a study on chronic inhalation toxicity of acetaldehyde on rats, the compound was found to effect increased mortality, growth retardation, and nasal tumors (Woutersen et al. 1986). The study indicates that acetaldehyde is both cytotoxic and carcinogenic to the nasal mucosa of rats. Investigating the toxicity of tobacco-related aldehydes in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells, Graft-strom et al. (1985) reported that acetaldehyde was weakly cytotoxic, less so than acrolein and formaldehyde. 

Acetaldehyde (CAS 75-07-0) Corrosive severe bums to eyes and skin may occur. Vapors strongly irritating to eyes and respiratory tract evidence for adverse effects on fetal development in animals. A carcinogen in test animals (iARC 2B). 

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