RESUMO
Reports on the influence of fructose on blood alcohol clearance have not always been consistent. Notwithstanding, information concerning the Nigerian population is yet to be documented. In this present study, ten consenting adults in apparent sound health, and who did not have any traceable history of alcohol or drug abuse were selected. The subjects were non-smoking Nigerians with an average age of 23.3 years and body weight of 55 kg, and were matched in body frame size and weight. The volunteers were given 0.55g (20%) ethanol/kg body weight as single dose about 4 hours after their breakfast meal, and on another occasion, 0.25g fructose/kg body weight was used to sober the intoxicating effect produced by 0.55g (20%) ethanol/kg body weight. In each case, the blood alcohol level (BAL) was determined every 30 minutes using about 0.5 ml whole blood obtained by venipuncture. The mean peak BAL obtained for the male and female subjects (0.093% vs 0.096%) imply that the women were more intoxicated, though for a shorter time (314 minutes vs 280 minutes). This investigation also demonstrates that the group of women cleared blood alcohol faster (0.026%/hr) and oxidized blood alcohol more rapidly (115.8 mg/kg/hr) than the men, who respectively recorded mean values of 0.021%/hr and 102 mg/kg/hr. However, among the male and female volunteers, oral fructose intake significantly (p<0.05) increased the blood ethanol clearance rate by 66.7 and 92.3%, decreased intoxication time by 41.7 and 40%, reduced peak BAL by 18.3 and 0%, but enhanced blood ethanol oxidation rate by 71.2 and 66.7%, respectively. The oxidokinetic data obtained suggest that Nigerian women may be more susceptible to alcohol's effects than Nigerian men, and oral fructose seems promising in the treatment of Nigerian alcoholics.