Question

ase. Methanol (CH3OH), also known as wood alcohol, is converted to formaldehyde by the same enzyme. Acetaldehyde is toxic, but formaldehyde is far more toxic to humans, which is why the ingestion of relatively small amounts of methanol can cause blindness or death. One treatment for mild methanol poisoning is the administration of ethanol. Why might a doctor choose this treatment? Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is an alcohol found in beverages. It is oxidized in the body to acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Methanol (CH3OH), also known as wood alcohol, is converted to formaldehyde by the same enzyme. Acetaldehyde is toxic, but formaldehyde is far more toxic to humans, which is why the ingestion of relatively small amounts of methanol can cause blindness or death. One treatment for mild methanol poisoning is the administration of ethanol. Why might a doctor choose this treatment?

Answer 1

A doctor might choose to administer ethanol since ethanol has a greater affinity for alcohol dehydrogenase than methanol, thus reducing the formation of the toxic metabolites of methanol. Excess methanol is then removed from the body by hemodialysis