Alkohol

Alkohol Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.

A clear, colorless liquid rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout the body. It has bactericidal activity and is used often as a topical disinfectant. It is widely used as a solvent and preservative in pharmaceutical preparations as well as serving as the primary ingredient in alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol produces injury to cells by dehydration and precipitation of the cytoplasm or protoplasm. This accounts for its bacteriocidal and antifungal action. When alcohol is injected in close proximity to nerve tissues, it produces neuritis and nerve degeneration (neurolysis). Ninety to 98% of ethanol that enters the body is completely oxidized. Alkohol is also used as a cosolvent to dissolve many insoluble drugs and to serve as a mild sedative in some medicinal formulations. Alkohol also binds to GABA, glycine, NMDA receptors and modulates their effects. Alkohol is also metabolised by the hepatic enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.

Alkohol
Uses
Dosage
Side Effect
Precautions
Interactions
Uses during Pregnancy
Uses during Breastfeeding
Accute Overdose
Food Interaction
Half Life
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Interaction With other Medicine
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Trade Name	Alkohol
Availability	Prescription only
Generic	Ethanol
Ethanol Other Names	1-Hydroxyethane, Alcohol, Alcohol (ethyl), Alcohol denatured, Alcohol etílico, Alcohol, denatured, Alcool éthylique, Alkohol, Äthanol, Äthylalkohol, Dehydrated ethanol, etanol, éthanol, Ethyl Alcohol, Grain alcohol, Hydroxyethane, Methylcarbinol, Spiritus vini
Type
Formula	C₂H₆O
Weight	Average: 46.0684 Monoisotopic: 46.041864814
Groups	Approved
Therapeutic Class
Manufacturer
Available Country
Last Updated:	September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am

Uses

For therapeutic neurolysis of nerves or ganglia for the relief of intractable chronic pain in such conditions as inoperable cancer and trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux), in patients for whom neurosurgical procedures are contraindicated.

Alkohol is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Bacterial Infections, Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Skin Infections, Bacterial, Skin Irritation, Ethylene glycol overdose, Fat occlusion in central venous catheter, Methanol overdose, Hand Hygiene, Skin disinfection

How Alkohol works

Alkohol affects the brain’s neurons in several ways. It alters their membranes as well as their ion channels, enzymes, and receptors. Alcohol also binds directly to the receptors for acetylcholine, serotonin, GABA, and the NMDA receptors for glutamate. The sedative effects of ethanol are mediated through binding to GABA receptors and glycine receptors (alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunits). It also inhibits NMDA receptor functioning. In its role as an anti-infective, ethanol acts as an osmolyte or dehydrating agent that disrupts the osmotic balance across cell membranes.

Toxicity

Oral, rat LD₅₀: 5628 mg/kg. Symptoms and effects of overdose include nausea, vomiting, CNS depression, acute respiratory failure or death and with chronic use, severe health problems, such as liver and brain damage.