B Ramachandra Murty is with the Department of Biochemistry, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, since 1982. His research interests include detection of small peptides using Cu(II)-ninhydrin reagent from different sources and purification of enzymes using inexpensive methods.

A dependency on alcohol causes life shattering addiction that leads to physical illness, severe malnutrition and demoralizing erosion of self esteem. The following discussion highlights some of the harmful effects of alcohol.

How Alcohol Enters the System

From the moment an alcoholic drink is swallowed the body pays special attention to it. Unlike foods which require digestion before they can be absorbed, the tiny ethanol molecules can diffuse right through the walls of an empty stomach to reach the brain in no time. Ethanol is a toxin and too high a dose of it triggers one of the body’s primary defences against poison, namely vomiting. Many times, alcohol is taken gradually and in a dilute form and thereby the vomiting reflex is delayed and the alcohol is absorbed.

Read full article (142 Kb)

Address for Correspondence
B Ramachandra Murty
Department of Biochemistry
P.S.G. College of Arts and Science
Coimbatore 641 014, India