Paper I — 2020 February (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme) — Q14

Paper I

2020 February (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme) · 40 marks · 120 min

Question

Disulfiram / Fomepizole in methyl alcohol poisoning

Q140.3 marksShort Answers★✓

Answer

Chosen drug: Fomepizole

Justification: Methanol is metabolized to toxic formaldehyde/formic acid by alcohol dehydrogenase; fomepizole is a direct, potent inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, blocking this toxic conversion. Disulfiram, in contrast, inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase (a different enzyme, relevant to ethanol metabolism, not methanol’s toxic pathway) and has no established role in methanol poisoning — making fomepizole the appropriate antidote.

Related Concepts

1. 1Ethyl and Methyl Alcohol

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