I would have said rectal absorbtion leads to greater intoxication per unit volume due to avoidance of first pass metabolism myself. Now I read V/I’s posts, and I’m rather befuddled 
Also, I rather thought one of the CYP450 isoforms is responsible for EtOH metabolism, in addition to ADH, and hence the impact taking certain drugs can have on the rate of EtOH metabolism, and visa versa.
Me either. I hope they open a franchise near here soon. 
It is, by P450 2E1, and it is possible to change the 2E1 expression (e.g. phenytoin and carbamazepine taken together). I’ll ask, as our lab does pharmacogenetic testing for several P450 genes. I hadn’t thought of that, actually. We did uncover a normally present promoter gene that is absent in the Asian Indian population (we think, we have an N=3), but it doesn’t affect the expression of ADH. I should look further into the ADH saturation rate, though. I can’t believe that it is that efficient at first pass clearance, but I could be wrong as well.
Vlad/Igor
Many, many years ago we used to give IV alcohol to try and stop premature labor.
I decided to take some of this stuff home and try it since I hated the taste of alcohol and got sick with relatively small amounts in my stomach. I liked the feeling but wanted to avoid the taste and the nausea.
Guess what I found out. IV alcohol promptly diffuses from areas of higher concentrations (bloodstream) to areas of lower concentration (stomach) so I got to barf out the taste I hated anyway.
I imagine the same principle would work with rectal administration so it doesn’t really solve any problems for those who don’t enjoy the taste or burning sensation. The thing is, you can load a massive dose of alcohol very rapidly by rectal administration especially if you are in a hurry to get that tube out of your bum. A fine way to commit suicide by alcohol poisoning. And what a pretty death it would be — spewing reeking vomit from your mouth and reeking something else from the other end, and probably all done to the sound track of an hysterical drunk on a crying jag. Now there is death with dignity.
BTW, IV alcohol was pretty useless at arresting premature labor so don’t try this at home folks.
I had heard of that when I first started working in hospital labs 10 years ago. In fact, I think the first hospital I worked in still used alcohol IVs to stop or slow down contractions. I haven’t heard of that treatment since. I have heard of a drug used in Japan called urinary trypsin inhibitor that does slow or stop contractions.
BTW, I misquoted in my last post: phenytoin and carbamazepine are not metabolized by the P450 2E1 protein. They are metabolized by the 2C9 and 2C19 proteins.
Vlad/Igor
Best. Answer. Ever.
We’ve had at least one thread on intravenous alcohol. The general consensus among nonMD Dopers was that the musicians who had admitted shooting up with Jim Beam were lucky not to be dead. The consensus among those Dopers who are MDs was that they were extremely and exceedingly lucky not to be dead, and we should absolutely not try this at home.
No, it is not recommended that you shove a wine bottle up your hiney!! :eek:
Indeed. That would tend to confuse the nose and finish of a vintage.
OOfah! That year really needs to breathe
I would also avoid shoving Manishweitz, Mogen David, or Kedem up your tuchas. I would think that the high sugar content would lead to terrible gas.
Let’s hope that these individuals at least mark which bottles they used rectally. It would be terrible to one day take a swig from the wrong one!
:eek:
Every time I see this thread title, I’m reminded of a defining moment on Canadian public television from the eighties:
It was a Codco sketch poking fun at the amount of alcohol consumed on-screen in the miniseries Edward and Mrs. Simpson.
God bless the CBC.