Drugs affected by ADH1B
About ADH1B
ADH1B is the liver enzyme that performs the first step of alcohol breakdown, converting ethanol to acetaldehyde. A common variant (ADH1B*2, rs1229984) carries roughly 40-fold faster activity. It's present in around 70 percent of East Asian and 20 percent of Middle Eastern populations, and is rare in Europeans. The variant is associated with stronger early alcohol effects and a lower lifetime risk of alcohol use disorder.[1]
ADH1B*2 carriers often feel intoxicated quickly because acetaldehyde accumulates briefly before the next enzyme (ALDH2) clears it. The effect is amplified in people who also carry the inactive ALDH2*2 variant.
What we test for ADH1B
Gene2Rx uses definitions covering 2 named ADH1B alleles, built from 1 variant in Gene2Rx definitions. Results depend on the variants available in your upload.
- Named alleles
- 2
- Defined variants
- 1
- Source
- Gene2Rx definitions
- Genome build
- GRCh38
- Normal Function 1
- Increased Function 1
What do these allele names mean?
ADH1B alleles are named by the underlying DNA variant rather than a star number. For example, c.61C>T describes a single base change at position 61 of the coding sequence.
DNA variant labels identify sequence differences. Their interpretation depends on the particular gene, the evidence, and the variants that can be assessed in your data. A DNA result does not directly measure enzyme activity.
The source of these definitions is listed above. Missing variants or incomplete coverage can leave a result indeterminate.
Medications with ADH1B information
This list contains 1 medication with ADH1B information from the sources shown below. Evidence and report eligibility differ by drug; each page explains its scope and limitations.
References
- PharmGKB / Stanford University. PharmGKB: The Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base. pharmgkb.org
Explore ADH1B in your report
Informational only, not medical advice. The presence of a ADH1B pharmacogenetic guideline does not mean every patient needs to change their dose. Never start, stop, or change a medication without talking to your prescribing clinician.