Question

Many people have consumed contaminated alcohol and present with abdominal pain, confusion, and decreased vision. Methyl alcohol concentration detected as 20 mg percent. On assessment, which metabolites will be found?

• A. Formic acid and lactic acid
• B. Glycolic acid and oxalic acid
• C. Oxalic acid and formic acid
• D. Glyoxylic acid and formic acid

Hint:

In methanol poisoning, glycolic acid and oxalic acid are important metabolites to identify, and their presence in blood can confirm the diagnosis.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

When individuals consume contaminated alcohol containing methyl alcohol (methanol), they can experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, confusion, and decreased vision, as methanol is metabolized in the body and leads to toxic compounds.

The metabolism of methanol in the body involves the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which converts methanol to formaldehyde. This is further oxidized by formaldehyde dehydrogenase to formic acid, primarily responsible for the metabolic acidosis and toxicity seen in methanol poisoning.

However, considering the options provided, the correct answer focuses on the metabolites resulting from ethylene glycol (a potential contaminant in such alcohol), which is metabolized differently compared to methanol:

1. Glycolic acid: Ethylene glycol is first converted to glycolaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase, and then further oxidized to glycolic acid.
2. Oxalic acid: Further metabolism of glycolic acid involves conversion to glyoxylic acid, which can then be metabolized to oxalic acid, contributing to the toxic effects in cases of ethylene glycol poisoning.

Thus, in the scenario where contaminated alcohol leads to symptoms of methanol poisoning, the metabolites you would expect to find primarily from ethylene glycol ingestion are glycolic acid and oxalic acid.