Phosphatidylethanol

General chemical structures of phosphotidylethanol, where R1 and R2 are fatty acid chains

Phosphatidylethanols (PEth) are a group of phospholipids formed only in the presence of ethanol via the action of phospholipase D.[1] Levels of phosphatidylethanols in blood are used as markers of previous alcohol consumption.[2][3] For this purpose, PEth is more sensitive than carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT), urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS).[4]

Chemically, phosphatidylethanols are phospholipids carrying two fatty acid chains, which are variable in structure, and one phosphate ethyl ester.

References

  1. ↑ Gnann, H.; Engelmann, C.; Skopp, G.; Winkler, M.; Auwärter, V.; Dresen, S.; Ferreirós, N.; Wurst, F. M.; Weinmann, W. (2010). "Identification of 48 homologues of phosphatidylethanol in blood by LC-ESI-MS/MS". Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 396 (7): 2415–23. doi:10.1007/s00216-010-3458-5. PMID 20127079.
  2. ↑ Hansson, Per; Caron, Murielle; Johnson, Goran; Gustavsson, Lena; Alling, Christer (1997). "Blood Phosphatidylethanol as a Marker of Alcohol Abuse: Levels in Alcoholic Males during Withdrawal". Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 21: 108. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.1997.tb03736.x.
  3. ↑ Hansson, P; Varga, A; Krantz, P; Alling, C (2001). "Phosphatidylethanol in post-mortem blood as a marker of previous heavy drinking". International journal of legal medicine 115 (3): 158–61. doi:10.1007/s004140100206. PMID 11775018.
  4. ↑ Helander, A.; Peter, O.; Zheng, Y. (2012). "Monitoring of the Alcohol Biomarkers PEth, CDT and EtG/EtS in an Outpatient Treatment Setting". Alcohol and Alcoholism 47 (5): 552–557. doi:10.1093/alcalc/ags065. ISSN 0735-0414.