@article{ref1,
title="The use of 5-hydroxytryptophol as an alcohol intake marker",
journal="Alcohol and alcoholism supplement",
year="1994",
author="Helander, A. and Beck, O. and Borg, S.",
volume="2",
number="",
pages="497-502",
abstract="5-Hydroxytryptophol (5HTOL) occurs naturally in animals as a metabolite of serotonin. Ethanol interacts with serotonin metabolism to increase the production of 5HTOL at the expense of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA). This can be used clinically in the treatment of alcohol dependence to improve the detection of relapse in alcohol drinking, by monitoring daily the urinary 5HTOL/5HIAA ratio. In one experiment the sensitivity of this marker in detecting alcohol drinking the previous day was more than 10-fold greater than measuring urinary ethanol. Genetic polymorphism in alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, which is known to influence the ethanol metabolism, does not confound the clinical use of 5HTOL as a marker. Disulfiram and cyanamide, however, will elevate urinary 5HTOL/5HIAA ratio.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1358-6173",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}