Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is the alcohol found in beverages. It is oxidized in the body to acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Methanol (CH3OH), also known as wood alcohol, is converted to formaldehyde by the same enzyme. Acetaldehyde is toxic, but formaldehyde is far more toxic to humans, which is why the ingestion of relatively small amounts of methanol can cause blindness or death. One treatment for mild methanol poisoning is the administration of ethanol. Why might a doctor choose this treatment?
A. Ethanol likely irreversibly binds to alcohol dehydrogenase which prevents the formation of formaldehyde.
B. The doctor has given up on the patient and administers ethanol for sedation.
C. Ethanol must act as a competitive inhibitor for the alcohol dehydrogenase and therefore slows the formation of formaldehyde.
D. The ethanol is likely an uncompetitive inhibitor and binds to a site other than the active site of the enzyme.
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