Download Ethanol For The Treatment of Methanol Poisoning Members: 李海仙

Ethanol For The
Treatment of
Methanol Poisoning
Members: 李海仙 Dora
黄丽慧 Lilis
潘永辉 Pamk
李深 Martin
2004050198
2004053907
2004050194
2004050206
Background

In China, there has been many death cases of
methanol poisoning reported. Almost all cases
reported are caused by ingestion of fake alcohol
(methanol) as a substitution of common alcohol
(ethanol). Ethanol is also a highly toxic
compound ; however, it has often been used as
an antidote for methanol poisoning. Therefore,
we conduct this experiment to verify the efficacy
of ethanol in treating methanol poisoning.
Mechanism of Methanol Toxicity

Methanol is readily absorbed into the body.
The metabolism of methanol is carried out
in the liver by the enzyme Alcohol
Dehydrogenase (ADH). It can be
metabolized to highly toxic compounds
(formaldehyde and formic acid) that are
responsible for the acidosis and blindness
characteristic of methanol poisoning and
even death.
Metabolism of Methanol
Treatment with Ethanol

Ethanol is a competitive inhibitor of ADH. It’s
affinity for ADH is 10-20 times greater than that
of methanol. Ethanol slows the rate of
methanol’s conversion to formaldehyde and
formic acid, allowing the body time to excrete
methanol in the breath and urine.
Methanol
ADH
Formaldehyde
-
-
Ethanol
Formic
Acid
Experimental Procedure
Groups: 20 mice divided into 5 groups
 Administration route: intragastric (灌胃)
 Group A is for preliminary experiment to
determine the minimum lethal dose of
methanol in mice.
 The minimum lethal dose obtained is
0.150ml/10g .

Methods (cont’d)
Group
Antidote
Death
Dose (ml/10g) Time
B
--
--
?
C
40% Ethanol
0.061
?
D
60% Ethanol
0.061
?
E
Folic Acid
2.255mg/ml
?
Results
Average
Intoxication Time Average Death
Group Antidote
(min)
Time (min)
B
39
76
44
105
D
-40%
Ethanol
60%
Ethanol
64
--
E
Folic Acid
66
--
C
Discussion
The results showed that the death time of
the 40% Ethanol group (105min) is longer
than the death time of the blank group
(76min).
 No death observed in the 60% Ethanol
group and Folic Acid group.
 The death time of the methanol-poisoned
mice has been delayed. This has proven
that ethanol is effective in treating
methanol poisoning.

Discussion (cont’d)

From the experiment, we’ve found out
that ethanol does relieve methanol
poisoning. However, excess ethanol has a
certain side effects to our body. From here,
we can actually conduct a further study to
create an ethanol-like drug with its side
effects decreased but still having the
competitive function with methanol.
--- Great discovery.