Alcohol , also known by its chemical name ethanol , is a psychoactive drug that is the active ingredient in many types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and distilled spirits. It is one of the oldest and most common recreational substances known to mankind, and it is responsible for the characteristic effects of alcohol intoxication, or drunkenness.
File:Ethanol-2D-skeletal.svg Ethanol-2D-skeletal Physiology and Effects [ edit ] Among other effects, alcohol can induce feelings of happiness and euphoria, decrease anxiety, increase sociability, and produce sedation. It can also cause impairment of cognitive, memory, motor, and sensory function, and generally depress central nervous system function. These effects can lead to potentially harmful situations, including accidents, risky behavior, and poor decision-making.
Types of Alcohol [ edit ] While 'alcohol' typically refers to ethanol in the context of alcoholic beverages, it's important to note that there are several types of alcohol. Methanol, isopropanol, and ethylene glycol, for instance, are types of alcohol that are toxic to humans. Ethanol is the only type of alcohol that is found in alcoholic beverages or commonly used for recreational purposes.
Alcohol and Health [ edit ] While moderate alcohol consumption can have some health benefits, particularly regarding heart health, excessive drinking is associated with a wide range of health problems, including liver disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage, psychological disorders, and an increased risk of several types of cancer.
See also [ edit ]
Legality of drug use
International State level Drug policy Drug legality Other
Other
Drug
Drug Drug trade
Issues with Harm reduction Countries by
Pathophysiology of ethanol
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μ-Opioid receptor agonists (opioids ) (e.g., morphine , heroin , hydrocodone , oxycodone , opium , kratom )α2 δ subunit -containing voltage-dependent calcium channels blockers (gabapentinoids ) (e.g., gabapentin , pregabalin , phenibut )AMPA receptor antagonists (e.g., perampanel )CB1 receptor agonists (cannabinoids ) (e.g., THC , cannabis )Dopamine receptor agonists (e.g., levodopa )Dopamine releasing agents (e.g., amphetamine , methamphetamine , MDMA , mephedrone )Dopamine reuptake inhibitors (e.g., cocaine , methylphenidate )GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators (e.g., barbiturates , benzodiazepines , carbamates , ethanol (alcohol) (alcoholic drink ), inhalants , nonbenzodiazepines , quinazolinones )GHB (sodium oxybate ) and analogues Glucocorticoids (corticosteroids) (e.g., dexamethasone , prednisone )nACh receptor agonists (e.g., nicotine , tobacco , arecoline , areca nut )Nitric oxide prodrugs (e.g., alkyl nitrites (poppers ))NMDA receptor antagonists (e.g., DXM , ketamine , methoxetamine , nitrous oxide , phencyclidine , inhalants )Orexin receptor antagonists (e.g., suvorexant )
Hypnotics and Sedatives
ATC Code: N05C
Pharmacology of ethanol
Links to related articles
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor modulators
mAChRs
Agonists
Antagonists *
3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate
4-DAMP Aclidinium bromide (+formoterol )Abediterol AF-DX 250 AF-DX 384 Ambutonium bromide Anisodamine Anisodine Antihistamines (first-generation) (e.g., brompheniramine , buclizine , captodiame , chlorphenamine (chlorpheniramine) , cinnarizine , clemastine , cyproheptadine , dimenhydrinate , dimetindene , diphenhydramine , doxylamine , meclizine , mequitazine , perlapine , phenindamine , pheniramine , phenyltoloxamine , promethazine , propiomazine , triprolidine )AQ-RA 741 Atropine Atropine methonitrate Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., clozapine , fluperlapine , olanzapine (+fluoxetine ), rilapine , quetiapine , tenilapine , zotepine )Benactyzine Benzatropine (benztropine) Benzilone Benzilylcholine mustard Benzydamine Bevonium BIBN 99 Biperiden Bornaprine Camylofin CAR-226,086 CAR-301,060 CAR-302,196 CAR-302,282 CAR-302,368 CAR-302,537 CAR-302,668 Caramiphen Cimetropium bromide Clidinium bromide Cloperastine CS-27349 Cyclobenzaprine Cyclopentolate Darifenacin DAU-5884 Desfesoterodine Dexetimide DIBD Dicycloverine (dicyclomine) Dihexyverine Difemerine Diphemanil metilsulfate Ditran Drofenine EA-3167 EA-3443 EA-3580 EA-3834 Emepronium bromide Etanautine Etybenzatropine (ethybenztropine) Fenpiverinium Fentonium bromide Fesoterodine Flavoxate Glycopyrronium bromide (+beclometasone/formoterol , +indacaterol , +neostigmine )Hexahydrodifenidol Hexahydrosiladifenidol Hexbutinol Hexocyclium Himbacine HL-031,120 Homatropine Imidafenacin Ipratropium bromide (+salbutamol )Isopropamide J-104,129 Hyoscyamine Mamba toxin 3 Mamba toxin 7 Mazaticol Mebeverine Meladrazine Mepenzolate Methantheline Methoctramine Methylatropine Methylhomatropine Methylscopolamine Metixene Muscarinic toxin 7 N-Ethyl-3-piperidyl benzilate N-Methyl-3-piperidyl benzilate Nefopam Octatropine methylbromide (anisotropine methylbromide) Orphenadrine Otenzepad (AF-DX 116) Otilonium bromide Oxapium iodide Oxitropium bromide Oxybutynin Oxyphencyclimine Oxyphenonium bromide PBID PD-102,807 PD-0298029 Penthienate Pethidine pFHHSiD Phenglutarimide Phenyltoloxamine Pipenzolate bromide Piperidolate Pirenzepine Piroheptine Pizotifen Poldine Pridinol Prifinium bromide Procyclidine Profenamine (ethopropazine) Propantheline bromide Propiverine Quinidine 3-Quinuclidinyl thiochromane-4-carboxylate Revefenacin Rociverine RU-47,213 SCH-57,790 SCH-72,788 SCH-217,443 Scopolamine (hyoscine) Scopolamine butylbromide (hyoscine butylbromide) Silahexacyclium Sofpironium bromide Solifenacin SSRIs
(e.g., femoxetine , paroxetine )
Telenzepine Terodiline Tetracyclic antidepressants (e.g., amoxapine , maprotiline , mianserin , mirtazapine )Tiemonium iodide Timepidium bromide Tiotropium bromide Tiquizium bromide Tofenacin Tolterodine Tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline (+perphenazine ), amitriptylinoxide , butriptyline , cidoxepin , clomipramine , desipramine , desmethyldesipramine , dibenzepin , dosulepin (dothiepin) , doxepin , imipramine , lofepramine , nitroxazepine , northiaden (desmethyldosulepin) , nortriptyline , protriptyline , quinupramine , trimipramine )Tridihexethyl Trihexyphenidyl Trimebutine Tripitamine (tripitramine) Tropacine Tropatepine Tropicamide Trospium chloride Typical antipsychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine , chlorprothixene , cyamemazine (cyamepromazine) , loxapine , mesoridazine , thioridazine )Umeclidinium bromide (+vilanterol )WIN-2299 Xanomeline Zamifenacin
Precursors (and prodrugs )
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Template:GABAA receptor positive modulators
Template:Glycine receptor modulators
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Template:Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor modulators
