Methanol poisoning

In the body, methanol is first oxidized to formaldehyde through processes such as alcohol dehydrogenation and formaldehyde dehydrogenation, and then further oxidized to formic acid. Formaldehyde can cause degeneration of retinal cells and damage the optic nerve ； Formate can inhibit cytochrome oxidase in retinal cells, causing visual impairment ； Fumaric acid accumulation can also cause acidosis. Methanol and its metabolites disrupt the function of cerebral cortical cells, leading to psychoneurological symptoms; therefore, administering a 50% ethanol solution or 30 ml of high-concentration liquor orally or via gastric tube, every 3–4 hours, can inhibit the oxidation of methanol, accelerate its excretion, and reduce the effects of poisoning. This post was last edited by goudan020 on 2009-2-28 at 12:21

.Methanol poisoning: Emergency treatment for methanol poisoning involves thorough gastric lavage using a 1–2% sodium bicarbonate solution. Then, the patient is transferred to a dark room to suppress carbon dioxide binding capacity. Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is a colorless, transparent liquid with a slight ethanol-like odor; it is one of the main components of industrial alcohol. Ingesting 5–10 milliliters of methanol can cause poisoning, while 30 milliliters can be fatal. The toxic effects of methanol on the human body are caused by methanol itself as well as its metabolites, formaldehyde and formic acid. The main symptoms include damage to the central nervous system, eye damage, and metabolic acidosis. Symptoms usually appear 8–36 hours after ingestion, manifesting as headache, dizziness, fatigue, unsteady gait, and drowsiness. In severe cases, there may be confusion, delirium, epileptic seizures, coma, and death. The cause of poisoning is often the consumption of industrial alcohol containing methanol, or \"bulk liquor\" made by mixing it with such alcohol. Digestive system and other symptoms: Patients experience nausea, vomiting, upper abdominal pain, etc., and liver damage may occur as a complication. Oral poisoning can be accompanied by acute pancreatitis. In a few cases, there were associated symptoms such as tachycardia, myocarditis, changes in the S-T segment and T waves, and acute renal failure. Severe acute methanol poisoning causes severe headache, nausea, vomiting, a rapid decline in vision, and even blindness; it can also lead to confusion, delirium, seizures, and coma. Eventually, death can occur due to respiratory failure. First aid: The patient should be immediately removed from the scene and have their contaminated clothing removed. Those who ingested it orally were given gastric lavage with 1% sodium bicarbonate and laxation with magnesium sulfate. Antidote: Ethanol is an antidote for methanol poisoning; its use can prevent the oxidation of methanol and facilitate its elimination from the body. A 5% ethanol solution was prepared using 10% glucose solution, and it was administered by slow intravenous infusion. There is limited clinical experience in the domestic market.