Final answer:
The efficacy of ethanol as an antidote for ethylene glycol poisoning is due to its high affinity for ADH, which prevents the conversion of ethylene glycol into its toxic metabolite, glycolic acid.
option a is the correct
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethanol is used as a temporary treatment for poisoning with ethylene glycol due to its high affinity for alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). When someone ingests ethylene glycol, found in substances like antifreeze, the body metabolizes it into toxic compounds, including glycolic acid, which can lead to serious metabolic disturbances and organ damage.
Ethanol competes with ethylene glycol for the same metabolizing enzyme, ADH, effectively inhibiting the metabolism of ethylene glycol into its toxic metabolites and allowing for excretion of ethylene glycol before it is converted into glycolic acid. Therefore, the correct explanation for the efficacy of alcohol as an antidote is (c) the high affinity of ethanol for ADH and the toxicity of glycolic acid.