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Fomepizole

Definition

4-methylpyrazole. A competitive inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase used as the first-line antidote for methanol poisoning. Ethanol (oral or IV) is the older, cheaper alternative because it out-competes methanol for the same enzyme.

Related terms

Chromotropic Acid Test
Confirmatory colour test for formaldehyde (and hence indirectly for methanol). Chromotropic acid (4,5-dihydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulphonic acid) plus concentrated sulphuric acid plus formaldehyde gives an...
Denatonium Benzoate
Bittering agent (Bitrex), one of the bitterest known compounds, detectable by taste at the parts-per-billion level. Added at very low concentrations to...
Denaturant
A chemical added to industrial ethanol to make it unfit for human consumption (and therefore exempt from beverage-alcohol excise). Indian Standards list...
Formic Acid
HCOOH. The toxic terminal metabolite of methanol, produced after alcohol dehydrogenase converts methanol to formaldehyde and aldehyde dehydrogenase oxidises formaldehyde to formate....
Head-Space GC-FID
Gas chromatography with flame-ionisation detection run on the vapour above a sealed sample. The standard forensic method for methanol and ethanol in...
Hooch
Illicit, unregulated country liquor. Indian regional names include haatch, desi tharra, and santhi. Typically distilled from molasses, jaggery, or fermented fruit, with...
Methanol
Methyl alcohol, CH3OH. Boiling point 64.7°C. Found in wood spirit, windshield-washer fluid, and as a deliberate adulterant in illicit liquor. Toxic via...

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