Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Oxidative Stress and Species
Differences in the Metabolism,
Developmental Toxicity, and
Carcinogenic Potential of Methanol
and Ethanol
PETER G. WELLS,
1,2
GORDON P. MCCALLUM,
1,
y
LUTFIYA MILLER,
2,
y
MICHELLE SIU,
1,
y
and J. NICOLE SWEETING,
1,
y
1
Division of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of
Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
7.1
INTRODUCTION
7.1.1 Preamble
7.1.1.1 The Regulatory Problem Methanol (MeOH) appears to be
metabolized quite differently in rodents such as mice and rats than it is
in humans. Nevertheless, most studies to estimate the human safety of
MeOH in the developing embryo and fetus (hereafter collectively
referred to as the embryo) have been carried out in rodents, raising
the question of the accuracy, if not the relevance, of regulations based
solely upon such studies.
7.1.1.2 Fundamental Question From the regulatory viewpoint, the
fundamental question is whether the mechanism by whichMeOH harms
y
These authors contributed equally.
