ADH substrate

Alcohol dehydrogenase substrate (toxic alcohol)

Competes for alcohol dehydrogenase → metabolized to toxic products (formate; glycolate/oxalate)
The metabolites — not the parent alcohol — cause the acidosis, blindness and renal failure
ADH blockade is the antidote step

Drugs with this mechanism (2)

Ethylene glycol — Toxic alcohol; oxalate causes the renal failure.
Methanol — Toxic alcohol; formate causes the blindness, not methanol itself.

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