ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 9

Metabolism of Acetone to Isopropyl Alcohol in Rats and Humans
Laufman, AK
Medieolegal director and research director, Southwest Institute for Natural Substances, TX

McAnalley, BH
Medieolegal director and research director, Southwest Institute for Natural Substances, TX

Lewis, GD
Fellow, University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, TX

Garriott, JC
Chief toxicologist, Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office, TX

(Received 12 May 1983; accepted 29 August 1983)

Abstract

Isopropyl alcohol and acetone have been detected in autopsy blood samples of individuals not previously exposed to these compounds. Since some of these individuals had a history of diabetes mellitus, it has been suggested that in these cases, reduction of acetone to isopropyl alcohol might be a metabolic pathway for its production. This hypothesis was investigated in a study of normal and diabetic rats. Acute administration of acetone resulted in measureable levels of isopropyl alcohol in blood. Metabolism of acetone to isopropyl alcohol was different in normal and diabetic animals. Blood levels of isopropanol reached a maximum at the second highest dose in normal rats, but there was a two-phase response in diabetic rats. In a second series of experiments, acetone was administered on alternate days for a week. In spite of this chronie administration (and persistence of high blood acetone), there was no enhancement of acetone metabolism to isopropyl alcohol. These experiments indicate that high levels of blood acetone could result in transformation to isopropyl alcohol.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, diabetes mellitus, acetone, isopropyl alcohol

Paper ID: JFS11702J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11702J
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