Pharmacologic Substance
disulfiram
di·sul·fir·am [ dahy-suhl-feer-uhm ]
Brand Names:
Antabuse
Effect:
Emesis; Positive Chronotropy
May Prevent:
Alcoholism
May Treat:
Alcoholism
More Information:
Definitions related to disulfiram:
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A carbamate derivative used as an alcohol deterrent. It is a relatively nontoxic substance when administered alone, but markedly alters the intermediary metabolism of alcohol. When alcohol is ingested after administration of disulfiram, blood acetaldehyde concentrations are increased, followed by flushing, systemic vasodilation, respiratory difficulties, nausea, hypotension, and other symptoms (acetaldehyde syndrome). It acts by inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A drug that slows the metabolism of retinoids, allowing them to act over a longer period of time.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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An orally bioavailable carbamoyl derivative and a proteasome inhibitor that is used in the treatment of alcoholism, with potential antineoplastic and chemosensitizing activities. Disulfiram (DSF) may help to treat alcoholism by irreversibly binding to and inhibiting acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme that oxidizes the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde into acetic acid. Inhibition of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase leads to an accumulation of acetaldehyde and produces a variety of very unpleasant symptoms, which together are referred to as the disulfiram-ethanol reaction (DER). In addition, DSF has a strong ability to chelate metals and its antineoplastic activity is highly dependent upon binding to copper (Cu), a metal that selectively accumulates in cancer cells. DSF/Cu generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibits proteasome activity, leading to an accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins; both of these processes result in induction of apoptosis. Also, DSF/Cu inhibits various cancer-specific pathways, which leads to inhibition of tumor cell growth.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Carbamate derivative used as an alcohol deterrent; it is a relatively nontoxic substance when administered alone, but markedly alters the intermediary metabolism of alcohol; when alcohol is ingested after administration of disulfiram, blood acetaldehyde concentrations are increased, followed by flushing, systemic vasodilation, respiratory difficulties, nausea, hypotension, and other symptoms (acetaldehyde syndrome); it acts by inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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