Abstract
Aims: Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) are minor metabolites of ethanol, and their presence in urine provides a strong indication of recent alcohol administration. Here we perform a drinking experiment to investigate the kinetics of EtG and EtS formation and elimination after the administration of two doses of alcohol.
Methods: Nineteen volunteers provided serum and urine administration of 4 and 8 units of alcohol (1 unit corresponds to 10 mL or about 8 g of pure ethanol). The analysis was performed using a validated ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC®-MS/MS) method.
Results: After 4 units, the median EtG maximum concentration (Cmax) was 0.4 µg/mL and the interquartile range (IRQ) (0.3 µg/mL) in serum and 3.5 mg/h (1.2 mg/h) in urine and was reached (Tmax) after 2.0 h (0.8 h) and 3.0 h (1.0 h), respectively. EtS Cmax was 0.2 µg/mL (0.1 µg/mL) in serum and 1.3 mg/h (0.6 mg/h) in urine, the corresponding Tmax were 1.0 h (1.0 h) and 2.0 h (0.5 h).
After 8 units, EtG Cmax was 1.3 µg/mL (0.4 µg/mL) in serum and 10 mg/h (3.4 mg/h) in urine and was reached after 4.0 h (1.8 h) and 4.0 h (2.0 h), respectively. EtS Cmax was 0.6 µg/mL (0.1 µg/mL) in serum and 3.5 mg/h (1.1 mg/h) in urine, the corresponding Tmax were 3.0 h (1.0 h) and 3.0 h (1.0 h).
EtG/EtS ratio increased as a function of the time after alcohol administration in both serum and urine samples but to a lesser extent after 8 units than 4.
Conclusions: These results correlate with values obtained in previous studies. Tmax of EtG and EtS increased between 4 and 8 units. The EtG:EtS ratio increased in the serum and urine samples of all volunteers as a function of time at least up to 4 hours post-alcohol administration.
Methods: Nineteen volunteers provided serum and urine administration of 4 and 8 units of alcohol (1 unit corresponds to 10 mL or about 8 g of pure ethanol). The analysis was performed using a validated ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC®-MS/MS) method.
Results: After 4 units, the median EtG maximum concentration (Cmax) was 0.4 µg/mL and the interquartile range (IRQ) (0.3 µg/mL) in serum and 3.5 mg/h (1.2 mg/h) in urine and was reached (Tmax) after 2.0 h (0.8 h) and 3.0 h (1.0 h), respectively. EtS Cmax was 0.2 µg/mL (0.1 µg/mL) in serum and 1.3 mg/h (0.6 mg/h) in urine, the corresponding Tmax were 1.0 h (1.0 h) and 2.0 h (0.5 h).
After 8 units, EtG Cmax was 1.3 µg/mL (0.4 µg/mL) in serum and 10 mg/h (3.4 mg/h) in urine and was reached after 4.0 h (1.8 h) and 4.0 h (2.0 h), respectively. EtS Cmax was 0.6 µg/mL (0.1 µg/mL) in serum and 3.5 mg/h (1.1 mg/h) in urine, the corresponding Tmax were 3.0 h (1.0 h) and 3.0 h (1.0 h).
EtG/EtS ratio increased as a function of the time after alcohol administration in both serum and urine samples but to a lesser extent after 8 units than 4.
Conclusions: These results correlate with values obtained in previous studies. Tmax of EtG and EtS increased between 4 and 8 units. The EtG:EtS ratio increased in the serum and urine samples of all volunteers as a function of time at least up to 4 hours post-alcohol administration.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 74-82 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Alcohol and Alcoholism |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - Jan 2013 |
Keywords
- Alcohol metabolism
- Ethyl glucuronide
- Ethyl sulfate