From what I can remember from my pharmacology days at University.
Ethanol (alcohol) is metabolised to ethanal (an aldehyde). The ethanal is then metabolised to ethanoic acid (this is less toxic than ethanal). Basically in 'asian flush' is there is a deficiency of Alcohol dehydrogenase, which converts ethanal to ethanoic acid. As a result the more toxic ethanal builds up. This results in facial flushing, nausea and vomiting. The asian population commonly have ADH deficiency (dont quote me, but it may be around 10%).
This same mechanism of alcohol metabolism has been used in the 'unsuccessful' treatment of alcoholism. By giving the patient 'antabuse' (disulpharam) a medication that blocks ADH, this causes the patient to have the flushing side effects and is supposed to deter alcohol...unfortunately alcoholics learn this, and simple just dont take the 'antabuse'.
Taking metronidazole, an antibiotic commonly causes this disulpharam reaction when alcohol is taken, and is really the only antibiotic you should not take with ethanol (although we tell you not to drink with any)
Kind Regards
R.
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Asian Flush 
Linear Mode
