Definition
A colorless, flammable liquid used in the manufacture of FORMALDEHYDE and ACETIC ACID, in chemical synthesis, antifreeze, and as a solvent. Ingestion of methanol is toxic and may cause blindness.
Present in various wines and spirits. Used as a solvent for the preparation of modified hop extracts and spice oleoresins Methanol is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable, liquid with a distinctive odor that is very similar to but slightly sweeter than ethanol (drinking alcohol). Methanol is produced naturally in the anaerobic metabolism of many varieties of bacteria, and is ubiquitous in the environment. (Wikiipedia)
Description
Methanol is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (Wikipedia). Methanol is responsible for accidental, suicidal, and epidemic poisonings, resulting in death or permanent sequelae. Toxicity is due to the metabolic products of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase. (A7768). The rapid and accurate diagnosis of toxic alcohol poisoning due to methanol (methyl alcohol) is paramount in preventing serious adverse outcomes. The quantitative measurement of specific serum levels of methanol using gas chromatography is expensive, time consuming and generally only available at major tertiary-care facilities. (A7769).
Top Gene Interactions
Related Pathways
General Information
- Metabolism: Methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase, then from that to formate by formaldehyde dehydrogenase, and then to carbon dioxide by limited H4 folate. (T10)
- Uses/Sources: Methanol is found in a host of consumer products, including windshield washer fluid, and is used in the manufacture of formaldehyde. (T10)
- Health Effects: Acute methanol poisoning in humans is characterized by an asymptomatic period of 12h to 24h followed by formic acidemia, ocular toxicity, coma, and in extreme cases death. Visual disturbances develop between 18h to 48h after ingestion and range from mild photophobia and blurred vision to markedly reduced visual acuity and complete blindness. (T10)
- Symptoms: Methanol can produce sensory irritation and narcosis at airborne concentrations below those which produce organ system pathology. (T10)
- Route of Exposure: Oral (T10)
Mechanism of Action
| Target Name | Mechanism of Action | References |
|---|---|---|
|
Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 1, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5A, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6A1, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6A2, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6B1 Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6C Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7A1, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7A2, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7B, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7C, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 8A, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6B2 Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 2, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7B2, mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 8C, mitochondrial Putative cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7A3, mitochondrial |
The toxic metabolite of Methanol that responsible for the retinal and optic nerve toxicity produced in methanol intoxication is Formic acid. Formic acid is a mitochondrial toxin that inhibits cytochrome c oxidase, the terminal enzyme of the mitochondrial electron transport chain of all eukaryotes. (A131) |
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Methanol Interacts with Diseases
| Disease | Inference Score | References/Inference Genes |
| Mouth Neoplasms | 18.72 |
|
| Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous | 18.69 |
|
| Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental | 17.91 |
|
| Visceral leishmaniasis | 17.66 |
|
| Colitis | 17.2 |
|
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 17.04 |
|
| Entamoebiasis | 16.99 |
|
| Glomerulonephritis | 16.98 |
|
| Arthritis, Experimental | 16.9 |
|
| Psoriasis | 16.84 |
|
| Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 1 | 16.5 |
|
| Cardiomyopathies | 16.17 |
|
| Pulmonary Fibrosis | 16.07 |
|
| Colonic neoplasm | 15.97 |
|
| Autism | 15.69 |
|
| Breast carcinoma | 15.47 |
|
| Alzheimer's Disease | 15.07 |
|
| Oral Submucous Fibrosis | 14.79 |
|
| Radiation Injuries, Experimental | 14.79 |
|
| Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental | 14.74 |
|