Definition
Used as a food additive [EAFUS]
Description
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), also known as PENT, PENTA, TEN, corpent, penthrite is the nitrate ester of pentaerythritol, and is structurally very similar to nitroglycerin. PETN is best known as an explosive. It is one of the most powerful high explosives known. PETN mixed with a plasticizer forms a plastic explosive. It is also used as a vasodilator drug to treat certain heart conditions, such as for management of angina. PETN works by releasing the signaling gas nitric oxide in the body. The heart medicine Lentonitrat is nearly pure PETN. Monitoring of oral usage of the drug by patients can be performed by determination of plasma levels of several of its hydrolysis products, pentaerythritol dinitrate, pentaerythritol mononitrate and pentaerythritol, in plasma using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Top Gene Interactions
Related Pathways
Ethylene Health Effects
General Information
- Metabolism: Intake of some amount of nitrates and nitrites is a normal part of the nitrogen cycle in humans. In vivo conversion of nitrates to nitrites can occur in the gastrointestional tract under the right conditions, significantly enhancing nitrates' toxic potency. The major metabolic pathway for nitrate is conversion to nitrite, and then to ammonia. Nitrites, nitrates, and their metabolites are excreted in the urine. (L1137)
- Health Effects: Nitrate and nitrite poisoning causes methemoglobinemia. Nitrites may cause pregnancy complications and developmental effects. They may also be carcinogenic. (L1137)
- Symptoms: Nitrate and nitrite poisoning causes methemoglobinemia. Symptoms include cyanosis, cardiac dysrhythmias and circulatory failure, and progressive central nervous system (CNS) effects. CNS effects can range from mild dizziness and lethargy to coma and convulsions. (L1137)
- Treatment: Methemoglobinemia can be treated with supplemental oxygen and methylene blue 1% solution administered intravenously slowly over five minutes followed by IV flush with normal saline. Methylene blue restores the iron in hemoglobin to its normal (reduced) oxygen-carrying state. (L1613)
- Route of Exposure: Oral (L313) ; Dermal (L313) ; inhalation (L313)
Ethylene Interacts with Diseases
| Disease | Inference Score | References/Inference Genes |
| Hepatitis, Autoimmune | 11.85 |
|
| Atopic eczema | 10.05 |
|
| Pulmonary Fibrosis | 9.41 |
|
| Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective | 9.16 |
|
| Asthma | 8.6 |
|
| Autism | 8.17 |
|
| Hepatocellular carcinoma | 7.51 |
|
| Prostatic Neoplasms | 6.8 |
|
| Entamoebiasis | 5.97 |
|
| Allergic rhinitis | 5.88 |
|
| Hypersensitivity, Immediate | 5.6 |
|
| Genetic Predisposition to Disease | 5.58 |
|
| Metaplasia | 5.5 |
|
| Chronic lymphocytic leukemia | 5.39 |
|
| Sinusitis | 5.33 |
|
| Alcoholic liver cirrhosis | 5.1 |
|
| Bronchial Hyperreactivity | 5.06 |
|
| Fatty Liver, Alcoholic | 5.04 |
|
| Urinary Bladder Neoplasms | 4.73 |
|
| Colonic neoplasm | 4.69 |
|