Alcohol / Ethanol
Pure ethanol is colorless clear liquid, tasteless, with strong odor. Ethanol has lower density than water and is fully miscible with it. It's metabolism in body creates chemical compound that is more toxic than ethanol – acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a product of ethanol created with help of enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase. It was shown that acetaldehyde is responsible for increase the risk of some liver diseases and cancer. Measure of ethanol amounts in body is called 'blood alcohol content' (BAC).
Alcohol Abuse & Addiction
Trade
Trade & street names | ethanol, alcohol |
Products | alcohol beverages: beer, wine, vodka, liquor etc. |
Medical info
Class | central nervous system depressant |
Medical use | no positive medical properties, no medical use |
Routes | oral |
Effects of use | impaired memory, slurred speech, drunken behavior, slow onset vitamin deficiency, organ damage; effects of use depend on dose, and can be pictured, according to dose increase (effects from small to largest doses): euphoria → lethargy → confusion → stupor → coma and finally death. |
Effects of overdose | vomiting, respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, possible death |
Withdrawal effects | trembling, anxiety, insomnia, vitamin deficiency, confusion, hallucinations, convulsions |
Onset | minutes to 0.5 hour |
Duration of action | 1-3 hours |
Chemistry
Chemical name | 1-ethanol |
Chemical formula | C2H5OH |
Molecular mass | 46.07 g/mol |
