ALCOHOL METABOLISM Utilized-Oxidized-Reduced

Aldehydes and ketones are readily reduced back to primary and secondary alcohols, respectively. In the case of ketones, although the reduction is reversible, ketoreductase utilizes NADPH, the concentration of which is higher than NADP+, and this drives the reaction toward the secondary alcohol. A good example is warfarin as shown in Figure 5.3 (19). However, aldehydes are further oxidized to carboxylic acids and carboxylic acids are not reduced back to aldehydes thus eliminating the aldehyde. Reductive metabolism of esters and amides also does not generally occur. 

---