Alcohol stimulates GABA at GABA-A receptors and inhibits the opening of NMDA receptor/channels by preventing glutamate. As an antidote, it inhibits the rapid metabolism of methanol to toxic intermediates eg, formaldehyde and formic acid due to its greater affinity to alcohol dehydrogenase. Thus, the toxicity of methanol is delayed or to an extent hindered.
Drowsiness, Acute gastritis, Balance disorder (loss of balance), Central pontine myelinolysis, Central nervous system depression, Degeneration of mammilary bodies, Disinhibition, Distorted speech and loss of muscle control, Fetal alcohol syndrome, Liver toxicity, Korsakoff(s) psychosis, Wernicke(s) disaese
Kidney ablation, nerve block, poisoning of ethylene glycol and methanol, premature labour.