Alcohol misuse in England is estimated to cost over £27 billion each year, causing widespread physical, psychological and social harm. This includes liver and cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders and domestic issues. Ethanol (CH3CH2OH), the intoxicating compound in alcoholic drinks, is ranked among the most poisonous substances, underlining its toxic effects on almost every cell in the body.
Uniquely among social drugs, alcohol acts as a harmful toxin when consumed, despite its common and accepted use. The toxicity of ethanol is partly due to its oxidation to ethanal (CH3CHO, Figure 1), a highly reactive and toxic compound – some researchers regard ethanal as the culprit behind hangovers.
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