Propylene Glycol

[pharmacist]

In the old days, ethylene glycol poisoning was treated with ethyl alcohol (booze) which was preferentially bound to/used by alcohol dehydrogenase over the antifreeze. This made for a drunk but alive patient.

Actually this method is still used: it is a competitive method using the slightly greater affiliation towards ethanol by the alcoholdehydrenase, leaving the ethylene glycol more or less untouched, which -because it is very hydrophilic- removed from the body by the kidneys > urine. But still: this must be carefully controlled as ethanol is toxic as well above a certain percentage. There is a Chinese saying: Poison should be killed by Poison.

 

[stratman]

Actually this method is still used

Yes if need be. The current go to antidote is Fomepizole (Antizol) which is twice a day dosing and you do not depress mental status or airway. You may also not have to dialyze with Fomepizole and it also works with Methanol poisoning (the hooch your uncle Jimmy went blind from). It is, however, expensive.

I have used EtOH as treatment. The patient did not seem to mind. Their blood alcohol concentration was kept above the legal limit in my state.