[Lowering the acute toxicity of ethanol with a zinc-metallothionein compound]

The homogeneous drug of zinc-metallothionein (zinc-MT) which characterized according to the molecular weight and UV-absorption spectra was obtained from the liver of the rats preliminary injected with the zinc chloride. It was shown that zinc-MT (0.5-4 mg/kg of protein) injected to the mouse 10 min before the ethanol decrease the acute toxicity of the alcohol. The preliminary injection of the control mixture consisted the albumin, cysteine and zinc chloride in proportions and dose corresponding to the dose 3 mg/kg of zinc-MT did not change LD50 of ethanol. The possible mechanism of the effect is discussed. The most possible is the stabilization of the lipid peroxidation in the liver or the restoration of the thiol groups pool at the alcohol intoxication by the zinc-MT.