The influence of L-carnitine on methanol biotransformation in rats

Abstract

There persists a need for potent and safe inhibitors of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), to effectively treat methanol poisoning by slowing its rate of biotransformation to there toxic products, formaldehyde and formic acid. Only a few former papers have reported on the significant effectiveness of L-carnitine in treating ethanol poisoning as well as alcohol abuse. As are no reports on the effectiveness of L-carnitine in treating methanol poisoning till now, the current studies were conducted to investigate the influence of L-carnitine on both oxydative metabolism and elimination of methanol in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 3 months with the body weight of 200-230 g were divided into 6 groups at random, with two of the groups considered to be control. Rats were given drinking water (control) or methanol in two different doses of 3220 mg/kg b.m. or 6440 mg/kg b.m. intragastrically and 0.9% NaCl (control) or 6.2 mmol/kg b.m. of L-carnitine intraperitionelly. Within 96 hours after the administration of methanol and 0.9% NaCl or L-carnitine, the urine was collected and then the animals were decapitated. To determine methanol there were taken blood samples for clot, and to determine carnitine and its derivatives blood was taken into heparinized test tubes. During the autopsy liver was also secured. In all the experimental time points stated the methanol concentrations in blood, urine and liver homogenate were determined by a head-space gas chromatography.