[Does alcohol enhance the toxicity of paraquat (author's transl)].

Abstract Oral ingestion of about 80 ml of a 20% solution of paraquat (Gramoxone) by a 44 years-old male alcoholic was followed by an acute edema of the lungs and death within 24 hrs. The administration of corticosteroids as well as the employment of forced diuresis, charcoal hemoperfusion and hemodialysis did not prevent this acute lethal outcome. The very high initial plasma concentration of 2.56 mg/l dropped quickly after hemoperfusion and dialysis to 1.19 mg/l. In mice ingesting a 5% ethanol solution for one week the LD50 of paraquat was diminished to 80 (63 - 102) mg/kg p.o. as compared to 170 (126 - 229) mg/kg p.o. in controls indicating that alcohol is able to enhance the acute toxicity of paraquat.