Alcohol Metabolism and Oxidation of Alkanols

Vocabulary flashcards covering the physiological effects of alcohol, oxidation stages of primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols, and methanol poisoning based on the lecture notes.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase

The enzyme in the body responsible for the step-by-step oxidation of drinking alcohol (ethanol) into water and carbon dioxide.

Acetaldehyde (Ethanal)

The toxic intermediate product ($CH_3CHO$) formed during the first oxidation step of ethanol; it causes nausea, elevated blood pressure, accelerated heart rate, perceptual disturbances, and can lead to deep unconsciousness or paralysis.

Ethanoic Acid (Acetic Acid)

The carboxylic acid ($CH_3COOH$) formed during the second oxidation step of ethanol, which enters the body's citric acid cycle and is ultimately converted to carbon dioxide and water.

Methanol Poisoning

A highly toxic condition resulting from the slow metabolism of methanol in the liver, which produces methanal and methanoic acid and can be fatal starting at a blood alcohol level of $0.2\,\text{per mille}$.

Methanal (Formaldehyde)

The first oxidation product of methanol formed in the liver before being oxidized further into methanoic acid.

Methanoic Acid (Formic Acid)

The second oxidation product of methanol that directly attacks the central nervous system, poisons internal organs, damages vision, and causes metabolic acidosis.

Metabolic Acidosis

A severe over-acidification of the blood resulting from the accumulation of methanoic acid during methanol oxidation, which can ultimately lead to death.

Primary Alcohol Oxidation

A two-step oxidation reaction where a primary alcohol is oxidized first to an alkanal (aldehyde) and then to an alkanoic acid (carboxylic acid), increasing carbon-oxygen bonds.

Secondary Alcohol Oxidation

An oxidation reaction where a secondary alcohol (such as propan-2-ol, $C_3H_7OH$) is oxidized into a ketone (propan-2-one, $C_3H_6O$); a further third oxidation step to a carboxylic acid does not exist.

Tertiary Alcohol Oxidation

An oxidation process that cannot take place in tertiary alcohols (such as 2-methylpropan-2-ol) because no additional carbon-oxygen bond can be formed without breaking the carbon backbone.

Fatty Liver (Fettleber)

A long-term condition caused by excessive ethanol consumption, during which ethanol in the liver is converted into fatty acids and fats that accumulate in liver cells.

Cirrhosis of the Liver (Leberzirrhose)

A severe chronic outcome of persistent excessive alcohol intake characterized by the destruction and breakdown of liver cells.

Gender Difference in Alcohol Absorption

Women generally experience faster alcohol effects than men because they typically have a higher proportion of fatty tissue, resulting in a smaller distribution volume for alcohol.