The result is formaldehyde and formic acid from methanol and glyoxal and oxalic acid from ehtylene glycol. The aldehydes are probably the main toxins, but the acids have other undesireable effects. Firstly, they can cause acidosis. Oxalic acid can crystalize out as the calcium salt in the kidney microtubules, causing physical damage. In some cases this can be accomplished by use of a competitive inhibitor.
Ethanol is such an inhibitor.
That is, the enzyme prefers to bind the ethanol. This is the equivalent of drinking 5 shots in one hour, and allows for the excretion of unmetabolized ethylene glycol in the urine. Copyright Thomas Jefferson University. All Rights Reserved. The Thomas Jefferson University web site, its contents and programs, is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor is it intended to create any physician-patient relationship.