Clinical data | |||
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Pronunciation | /ˈɛθənɒl/ | ||
Other names | Absolute alcohol; Alcohol (USP ); Cologne spirit; Drinking alcohol; Ethanol (JAN ); Ethylic alcohol; EtOH; Ethyl alcohol; Ethyl hydrate; Ethyl hydroxide; Ethylol; Grain alcohol; Hydroxyethane; Methylcarbinol | ||
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Dependence liability | Physical: Very High Psychological: Moderate[1] | ||
Addiction liability | Moderate (10–15%)[2] | ||
Routes of administration | Common: By mouth Uncommon: Suppository, inhalation, ophthalmic, insufflation, injection[3] | ||
Drug class | Depressant; Anxiolytic; Analgesic; Euphoriant; Sedative; Emetic; Diuretic; General anesthetic | ||
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Pharmacokinetic data | |||
Bioavailability | 80%+[4][5] | ||
Protein binding | Weakly or not at all[4][5] | ||
Metabolism | Liver (90%):[6][8] • Alcohol dehydrogenase • MEOS (CYP2E1) | ||
Metabolites | Acetaldehyde; Acetic acid; Acetyl-CoA; Carbon dioxide; Ethyl glucuronide; Ethyl sulfate; Water | ||
Onset of action | Peak concentrations:[6][4] • Range: 30–90 minutes • Mean: 45–60 minutes • Fasting: 30 minutes | ||
Elimination half-life | Constant-rate elimination at typical concentrations:[7][8][6] • Range: 10–34 mg/dL/hour • Mean (men): 15 mg/dL/hour • Mean (women): 18 mg/dL/hr At very high concentrations (t1/2): 4.0–4.5 hours[5][4] | ||
Duration of action | 6–16 hours (amount of time that levels are detectable)[9] | ||
Excretion | • Major: metabolism (into carbon dioxide and water)[4] • Minor: urine, breath, sweat (5–10%)[6][4] | ||
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Chemical and physical data | |||
Formula | C2H6O | ||
Molar mass | 46.069 g·mol−1 | ||
3D model (JSmol) | |||
Density | 0.7893 g/cm3 (at 20 °C)[10] | ||
Melting point | −114.14 ± 0.03 °C (−173.45 ± 0.05 °F) [10] | ||
Boiling point | 78.24 ± 0.09 °C (172.83 ± 0.16 °F) [10] | ||
Solubility in water | Miscible mg/mL (20 °C) | ||
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Alcohol (from the Arabic word al-kuḥl, الكحل),[11] sometimes referred to by the chemical name ethanol, is one of the most widely used and abused psychoactive drugs in the world.[12][13] It is classified as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, decreasing electrical activity of neurons in the brain.[14] Alcohol is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a toxic, psychoactive, dependence-producing, and carcinogenic substance.[15]
Alcohol is found in fermented beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirit[16] – in particular, rectified spirit,[17] and serves various purposes; it is used as a recreational drug, for example by college students, for self-medication, and in warfare. It is also frequently involved in alcohol-related crimes such as drunk driving, public intoxication, and underage drinking. Some religions, including Catholicism, incorporate the use of alcohol for spiritual purposes.
Short-term effects from moderate consumption include relaxation, decreased social inhibition, and euphoria, while binge drinking may result in cognitive impairment, blackout, and hangover. Excessive alcohol intake causes alcohol poisoning, characterized by unconsciousness or, in severe cases, death. Long-term effects are considered to be a major global public health issue and includes alcoholism, abuse, alcohol withdrawal, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), liver disease, hepatitis, cardiovascular disease (e.g., cardiomyopathy), polyneuropathy, alcoholic hallucinosis, long-term impact on the brain (e.g., brain damage, dementia), and cancers.[citation needed] According to a 2024 WHO report, these harmful consequences of alcohol use result in 2.6 million deaths annually, accounting for 4.7% of all global deaths.[18]
For roughly two decades, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified alcohol as a Group 1 Carcinogen.[19] In 2023, the WHO declared that there is "no safe amount" of alcohol consumption without health risks.[15] This reflects a global shift in public health messaging, aligning with the long-standing views of the temperance movement, which advocates against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. This shift aligns with the global scientific consensus against alcohol for pregnant women due to the known risks of miscarriage, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), as well as for individuals under the legal drinking age.
...alcohol dependence (is) a substantial risk of regular heavy drinking...
(Compulsive alcohol use) occurs only in a limited proportion of about 10–15% of alcohol users....