There persists a need for potent and safe inhibitors of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), to effectively treat methanol poisoning by slowing its rate of biotransformation to there toxic products, form I aldehyde and formic acid. Only a few former papers have reported on the significant effectiveness of L-carnitine in treating ethanol poisoning as well as alcohol abuse. As are no reports on the effectiveness of L-carnitine in treating methanol poisoning till now, the current studies were conducted to investigate the influence of L-carnitine on both oxydative metabolism and elimination of methanol in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 3 months with the body weight of 200-230 G were divided into 6 groups at random, with two of the groups considered to be control. Rats were Given drinking water (control) or methanol in two different doses of 3220 mg/kg, b.m. or 6440 mg/kg b.m. intragastrically and 0.9% NaCl (control) or 6.2 mmol/kg b.m. of L-carnitine intraperitionelly. Within 96 hours after the administration of methanol and 0.9% NaCl or L-carnitine, the urine was collected and then the animals were decapitated. To determine methanol there were taken blood samples for clot, and to determine carnitine and its derivatives blood was taken into heparinized test tubes. During the autopsy liver was also secured. In all the experimental time points stated the methanol concentrations in blood, urine and liver homogenate were determined by a head-space gas chromatography. The results of our research show that: 1. L-carnitine slows down the elimination of methanol in rats. 2. Toxicokinetic parameters indicate that L-carnitine slows down the methanol biotransformation. 3. It was observed that after the administration of L-carnitine and methanol: the blood methanol concentration was lower in the absorption phase but higher in the elimination phase in comparison with the methanol levels in the rats which were given only methanol methanoluria lasted significantly longer and was not finished within a 96-hour observation period, and the excreted urine volume was much more higher in this group methanol was present significantly longer in liver than blood the rate of methanol elimination in blood, liver and urine depended on the alcohol dose given. 4. In the case of methanol poisoning, L-carnitine reveals its protective effects. There were no deaths in the groups of the animals which were simultanously intoxicated with methanol and L-carnitine. There were 8 deaths in the group of 60 animals which were given a lower dose of methanol without L-carnitine and 27 deaths in the group of 101 animals which were given a higher dose of methanol but no L-carnitine.
