If we know the effects of alcohol on humans, this animal has limitless resistance.
If drinking in moderation is a slogan that everyone knows, an animal would have the ability to escape it. He is the only living being able to consume extreme quantities of alcohol without his behavior changing. No hangover so for this animal, some would envy it a lot. In any case, this is what a study recently published in the journal attests. PNAS.
To make this observation, the specialists fed this animal with a solution containing ethanol, as the sole source of energy for a week. The concentration of ethanol varied between 0 and 80%. No significant change was observed, nor impact on lifespan. It also did not create dependence, the animal showing no preference between this alcoholic solution and sugar water.
How to explain this resistance? This animal is in fact a natural consumer of ethanol. It is found notably in the nectar of flowers, up to 3%, and in certain fruits, such as grapes, this can rise to 12% as they decompose and ferment. It is also in contact with the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is used in particular to make beer. It often carries it in its digestive tract, becoming a natural reservoir of this yeast. In addition, this species metabolizes ethanol very quickly thanks to the presence of several copies of the gene coding for the ADH enzyme. This enzyme is the one that participates in the detoxification of ethanol.
The animal that is also stubborn when it comes to alcohol is an insect: the oriental hornet, which is part of the wasp family. This hornet lives mainly in the Middle East and Asia, but in recent years, certain individuals have been identified in France.
Other animals, such as primates or rodents, are also able to ingest ethanol but only at concentrations ranging from 1 to 4%. Beyond that, this consumption becomes harmful to them, unlike the oriental hornet. Likewise, a test was carried out on the effects of alcohol on bees. They quickly suffered from difficulty flying, became more aggressive and saw their life expectancy decrease.
“Our study establishes that the oriental hornet is a unique animal model for alcohol-related research, with potential applications in many disciplines, including medicine,” the researchers concluded. Further study could likely help develop better treatments for addiction.
