Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (574 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Derivatives of acetic acid. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that contain the carboxymethane structure.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Acetate; Acetic Acid Esters; Esters, Acetic Acid; Acetic Acids; Acids, Acetic.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Acids, Acyclic; Fatty Acids, Volatile
- Narrower topics
- Acetamides; Acetic Acid; Acetic Anhydrides; Aminooxyacetic Acid; Chloroacetates; Edetic Acid; Egtazic Acid; Fluoroacetates; Glycolates; Iodoacetates; Nitrilotriacetic Acid; Pentetic Acid; Peracetic Acid; Phosphonoacetic Acid
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 166,705 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Acetates” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 18,669 of them (11.2%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 83,248 records.
Reviews account for 6,179 records (3.7%) and meta-analyses for 509. Randomized controlled trials number 3,327 (2.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 83,248 |
| 2000-2009 | 31,873 |
| 2010-2019 | 32,915 |
| 2020 onward | 18,669 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 6,179 | 3.7% |
| Meta-analyses | 509 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 3,327 | 2.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Acetates"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
Ongoing independent evolution of linezolid and vancomycin-resistance pELF-type linear plasmids across the One Health spectrum [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Vancomycin and linezolid are crucial for treating enterococcal infections.
- Closing excerpt
- Our findings on this ongoing evolution advance the fundamental knowledge required for the future development of global and cross-sectoral surveillance.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (84 words)
Vancomycin and linezolid are crucial for treating enterococcal infections. The global emergence of linezolid- and vancomycin-resistant enterococci is a growing concern. Enterococcal pELF-type linear plasmids, which confer both types of resistance, have been identified worldwide from clinical and environmental sources. Phylogenetic and structural analyses of pELF-type linear plasmids revealed that they diverged into two distinct lineages and evolved through the integration of circular plasmids. Our findings on this ongoing evolution advance the fundamental knowledge required for the future development of global and cross-sectoral surveillance.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41251365 · DOI · PMC12691693
Metabolic versatility enables acetogens to colonize ruminants with diet-driven niche partitioning [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Enteric methane emissions are energy losses from farmed ruminants and contribute to global warming.
- Closing excerpt
- Overall, this study highlights the overlooked heterotrophy of acetogens in the rumen and their potential for mitigating enteric methane emissions.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (177 words)
Enteric methane emissions are energy losses from farmed ruminants and contribute to global warming. Diverting electrons and H2 flow toward beneficial fermentation products would mitigate ruminal methane emissions while improving feed efficiency. Acetogens can direct H2 and electrons to acetate production via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, but methanogens have more competitive H2 affinities. Thus, it is unclear how acetogenesis contributes to the rumen fermentation. An analysis of 2102 globally derived rumen metagenomes from multiple ruminant species revealed that putative acetogens were phylogenetically diverse and capable of using carbohydrates or H2 as electron donors. The metabolic versatility of these acetogens may enable them to outcompete methanogens with lower versatility. Through animal trials, in vitro experiments, and DNA stable isotope probing, we verified the presence of diverse acetogens in beef cattle rumens and revealed that their niche partitioning is driven by contrasting fiber-rich and starch-rich diets. A fiber-rich diet enriched heterotrophic acetogens, which increased acetate formation while decreasing methane production. Overall, this study highlights the overlooked heterotrophy of acetogens in the rumen and their potential for mitigating enteric methane emissions.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40888465 · DOI · PMC12449052
Advances in the therapeutic applications of dichloroacetate as a metabolic regulator: A review [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Dichloroacetate (DCA), as a pan-inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function.
- Closing excerpt
- In this review, we summarize advances in the therapeutic applications of DCA as a metabolic regulator.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (100 words)
Dichloroacetate (DCA), as a pan-inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function. DCA decreases lactic acid synthesis, enhances mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and regulates aerobic glycolysis. During the last decade, more and more studies have found that disorders of energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction play a pivotal role in the development and progression of various diseases, and the role of DCA in cancer, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory diseases has been extensively explored in both basic and clinical studies. In this review, we summarize advances in the therapeutic applications of DCA as a metabolic regulator.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40922281 · DOI · PMC12419407
Efficacy of a foamed disinfectant in reducing pathogen contamination in renovated inpatient in-room sinks: a randomized controlled trial [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundHospital sinks are reservoirs for epidemiologically important pathogens (EIPs), yet practical, effective strategies for sustained decontamination are lacking.
- Closing excerpt
- Foam-based protocols may help mitigate environmental reservoirs of multidrug-resistant organisms.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (213 words)
BackgroundHospital sinks are reservoirs for epidemiologically important pathogens (EIPs), yet practical, effective strategies for sustained decontamination are lacking.MethodsWe conducted a randomized controlled trial of 30 in-room sinks (15 intervention, 15 control) in a newly renovated hospital unit to evaluate the efficacy of a hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid foamed disinfectant in reducing sink contamination. Intervention sinks received foamed disinfectant to sink drains three times weekly; control sinks underwent standard daily surface cleaning. Weekly sampling was performed from three sink locations (top surface, tail pipe, P-trap) over 35 weeks. The primary outcome was sink conversion events (SCEs), defined as first detection of ≥1 EIP, defined as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas spp., or Acinetobacter spp., and ESBL-producing or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, in previously negative sinks.ResultsA total of 2880 samples were collected. All sinks were negative at baseline for study pathogens. Nearly all sinks (29/30) experienced an SCE during the study period. However, only 44 (9%) intervention sink samples were positive for EIPs, compared to 270 (47%) in control sinks (p Acinetobacter spp. and Stenotrophomonas spp. Intervention sinks experienced a delayed time to SCE (p = 0.0001). Items were stored on/in sinks in 93% of observations.ConclusionRegular application of a foamed disinfectant reduced and delayed EIP contamination in renovated hospital sinks. Foam-based protocols may help mitigate environmental reservoirs of multidrug-resistant organisms.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41085344 · DOI · PMC12780837
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Molecular Glues for Targeted Protein Degradation: From Serendipity to Rational Discovery [5]
- Research article Impact of 68Ga-PSMA PET on the Management of Patients with Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [6]
- Research article 68Ga-DOTATATE Compared with 111In-DTPA-Octreotide and Conventional Imaging for Pulmonary and Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [7]
- Research article Systematic review and meta-analysis of linezolid versus daptomycin for treatment of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia [8]
- Research article Antidepressant efficacy of agomelatine: meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies [9]
- Research article The Global Threat from the Irreversible Accumulation of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA) [10]
References
- Hashimoto Y, Dao DT, Kasuga I, Takemura T, Abe H, Hasebe F, et al.. Ongoing independent evolution of linezolid and vancomycin-resistance pELF-type linear plasmids across the One Health spectrum. . 2025. PMID 41251365 · DOI · PMC12691693
- Li Q, Wang R, Zhou X, Li S, Zhang S, Zhang X, et al.. Metabolic versatility enables acetogens to colonize ruminants with diet-driven niche partitioning. . 2025. PMID 40888465 · DOI · PMC12449052
- Wu X, Shang M, Li M, Liu Y, Hu H, Zhang P, et al.. Advances in the therapeutic applications of dichloroacetate as a metabolic regulator: A review. . 2025. PMID 40922281 · DOI · PMC12419407
- Warren BG, Graves AM, Fils-Aime G, Barrett A, Mamikunian I, Gunsch C, et al.. Efficacy of a foamed disinfectant in reducing pathogen contamination in renovated inpatient in-room sinks: a randomized controlled trial. . 2026. PMID 41085344 · DOI · PMC12780837
- Dong G, Ding Y, He S, Sheng C. Molecular Glues for Targeted Protein Degradation: From Serendipity to Rational Discovery. J Med Chem. 2021. PMID 34319094 · DOI
- Han S, Woo S, Kim YJ, Suh CH. Impact of 68Ga-PSMA PET on the Management of Patients with Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Eur Urol. 2018. PMID 29678358 · DOI
- Deppen SA, Blume J, Bobbey AJ, Shah C, Graham MM, Lee P, et al.. 68Ga-DOTATATE Compared with 111In-DTPA-Octreotide and Conventional Imaging for Pulmonary and Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Nucl Med. 2016. PMID 26769864 · DOI · PMC5362941
- Balli EP, Venetis CA, Miyakis S. Systematic review and meta-analysis of linezolid versus daptomycin for treatment of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014. PMID 24247127 · DOI · PMC3910884
- Taylor D, Sparshatt A, Varma S, Olofinjana O. Antidepressant efficacy of agomelatine: meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies. BMJ. 2014. PMID 24647162 · DOI · PMC3959623
- Arp HPH, Gredelj A, Glüge J, Scheringer M, Cousins IT. The Global Threat from the Irreversible Accumulation of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA). Environ Sci Technol. 2024. PMID 39475534 · DOI · PMC11562725
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.