Reaction of acetaldehyde with 5-aminolevulinic acid via dihydropyrazine derivative.

When a solution of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was incubated with acetaldehyde at neutral pH, a product was generated. This product was identified as 3-ethylpyrazine-2,5-dipropanoic acid (ETPY). ETPY was stable at neutral pH. It has been reported that ALA dimerizes at neutral pH generating 3,6-dihydropyrazine-2,5-dipropanoic acid (DHPY), and subsequently resulting in pyrazine-2,5-dipropanoic acid (PY) by autoxidation. In the present reaction, DHPY generated from ALA reacted with acetaldehyde, resulting in ETPY. Preadministration of ALA 3 min prior to acetaldehyde injection supressed the toxicity of acetaldehyde in male mice. These results suggest that ALA may be useful as a scavenger for acetaldehyde.