Pharm of Ethanol Flashcards
Antabuse
f
role of NADH in alcohol metabolism
f
most commonly abused and misused drug in US
ethanol
most deaths due to single substance
potency of ethanol
low potency, need large amounts to exert effects (grams)
Absorption of ethanol
- rapid throughout GI tract esp in small intestine
- more rapid ingestion,more rapid absorption (depends on conc gradient)
- presence of food slows absorption via delaying passage to small intestine (heavy meal can decrease peak concentration by 30%)
distribution of ethanol
- water soluble and distributed in total body water
- crosses placenta
- distrib/equilib is most RAPID in areas of high blood flow (brain, liver, kidney, lung)
- CNS effects in 5 mins, peaks within 15-60 mins
- Fat contains less water and thus less alcohol. Women have more adipose and less water per kg of total body weigh. Women given same dose of ethanol as man will have higher blood alcohol conc.
- r: factor that corrects for the volume of distribution of alcohol (0.68 men, 0.55 for women)
Metabolism of ethanol
- metabolism is responsible for 90-98% of disappearance of alcohol from body
- Liver mostly, some thru expired air and urine
- first pass in gastric mucosa may be important in sex differences in BAC (female gastric metab less than male)
completely metabolized–>7calories/gram
kinetics
ethanol: zero order kinetics
-metabolism occurs at constant rate (zero order)
7-10g/hr
MAX rate: 220 g/day (can increase by 50-60% in chronic alcoholics)
two enzymes that can convert ethanol to acetaldehyde
- alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH): present in liver cytosol (90% of Asian pop have ADH with increased activity)
- CYP2E1: 10-25% of ethanol metab at HIGHER BACs
aldehyde dehydrogenase (AlDH)
CH3-COOH+NADCH2-COH +NADH
converts acetaldehyde to acetate
-in liver cytosol, mitochondria
- high affinity (low Km) and low affinity forms
- high affinity missing in many Asians allowing acetaldehyde levels to build up—>flushing rxn and protection of alcoholism
-AlDH is inhibited by disulfiram (Antabuse)–>increased acetaldehyde lvls–>n/v, resp and cv collapse, convulsions
CH3-COOH + CoA+ATP–>acetyl CoA+AMP +PP
acetyl coa then metabolized into FA and chol, CO2, H2O, Energy.
Hepatic metabolism disruption via elevated NADH
the NADH that is formed must be oxidized to NAD. Mitochondrial oxidation of NADH to NAD is insufficient with the increased levels of NADH leading to disruptions in hepatic metabolic pathways:
- increased levels of NADH–>decreased Krebs activity–gluconeogenesis–>hypoglycemia
- increased blood lactate–>acidosis, behavioral disturbances
- increased Mg2+ excretion–>can lead to convulsions
- increased Acetyl CoA–>increased FA synthesis, decreased fat breakdown–>fatty liver
- decreased uric acid excretion: may precipitate gout attacks.
ethanol at GABAergic synapses
potentiation
ethanol at glutamatergic synapses
inhibition
Acute CNS effects of ethanol
- effects proportional to BAC
- dose dependent CNS depressant effect similar to BARBs.
- NOT a stimulant at any dose
Anticonvulsive effects
good anticonvulsant initially, but hyperexcitability upon withdrawal
-may precipitate convulsions (contraindicated in epilepsy)