Using the equations of enzyme kinetics to treat methanol intoxication
Liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is relatively nonspecific and will oxidize ethanol or other alcohols, including methanol. Methanol oxidation yields formaldehyde, which is quite toxic, causing, among other things, blindness. Mistaking it for the cheap wine he usually prefers, my dog Clancy ingested about 50 mL of windshield washer fluid (a solution 50% in methanol). Knowing that methanol would be excreted eventually by Clancy’s kidneys if its oxidation could be blocked, and realizing that, in terms of methanol oxidation by ADH, ethanol would act as a competitive inhibitor, I decided to offer Clancy some wine. How much of Clancy’s favorite vintage (12% ethanol) must he consume in order to lower the activity of his ADH on methanol to 5% of its normal value if the Km values of canine ADH for ethanol and methanol are 1 millimolar and 10 millimolar, respectively? (The KI for ethanol in its role as competitive inhibitor of methanol oxidation by ADH is the same as its Km). Both the methanol and ethanol will quickly distribute throughout Clancy’s body fluids, which amount to about 15 L. Assume the densities of 50% methanol and the wine are both 0.9 g/mL.
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