Effect of ascorbic acid on various hepatic ethanol metabolizing enzymes including alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH), the microsomal . ethanol oxidizing system(MEOS), and catalase was quantitatively evaluated in liver microsomal and cytosolic preparation from Sprague-Dowley rats. In present study, ADH activities were no changed significantly by ascorbic acid. The MEOS activity, dependent on NADPH and O₂, was affected by azide (inhibitor of catalase) or exogenous catalase. In the presence of ascorbic acid, ethanol oxidation by rat liver microsomal preparation reacted with NADPH-generating system was increased by up to 22.5%, but decreased when liver microsome was reacted with H₂O₂ generated by xanthine and xanthine oxidase. Increase in the activity of the MEOS in the presence of ascorbic acid was greater in liver microsomal preparation pretreated with azide. Also ascorbic acid oxidized ethanol nonenzymatically. This ethanol oxidation induced by ascorbic acid was inhibited by OH radical scavengers (thiourea, sodium benzoate), but was not much affected by superoxide dismutase. From these results it was suggested that ascorbic acidcould interact directly with the MEOS, then promote the oxidation of ethanol. And, to some extent, ⋅OH-radicals or other radicals generated during the spontaneous autooxidation of ascorbic acid may be responsible for the production of acetaldehyde from ethanol.