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Labelled Methacetin (M258772) is evaluated in a breath test to predict early liver disfunction due to valproic acid and other cause. Methacetin breath test (MBT) is a rapid, non-invasive assessment of liver function in acute severe liver disease and a potential key tool in future dignosis.

ChEBI: Methacetin-(methoxy-(13)C) is a (13)C-modified compound that is methacetin which has (13)C as the predominant isotope of the methoxy carbon. In normal subjects, methacetin is rapidly metabolised in the liver, being dealkylated by hepatic CYP1A2 to give paracetamol (acetaminophen); the methyl of the methoxy group is eliminated as CO2. Administering methacetin-(methoxy-(13)C) to a patient enables the liver (cytochrome P-450 1A2) function to be determined quickly and precisely by measuring the (13)CO2 in the breath (e.g. by isotope-selective non-dispersive infrared spectrometry (NDIRS)). It has a role as an isotopic tracer and a diagnostic agent. It is a (13)C-modified compound, a member of acetamides and an aromatic ether.