The effect of "superactive" charcoal and magnesium citrate solution on blood ethanol concentrations and area under the curve in humans.

AbstractEleven healthy males between 21 and 37 years of age were enrolled into a non-randomized crossover study comparing superactive charcoal (SAC) given after ethanol administration. After receiving 0.6 gm/kg ethanol orally (95% V/V diluted in orange juice), blood was sampled at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 hours. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated and the highest ethanol level was recorded. After a minimum of 1 week washout, the volunteers ingested an identical ethanol dose but in addition received 60 grams of SAC and 300 ml of 5.8% magnesium citrate solution 1 and 3 hours post ingestion. The data was compared using the paired t-test with p < 0.05 considered significant.Nine volunteers completed the study. Volunteers had difficulty ingesting the full second 60 gram SAC dose. The AUC (mean 1184 mcg x hr/ml) and highest ethanol concentrations (mean 46.3 mg/dl) for the control group were not significantly greater than in the SAC group (mean AUC 1167 mcg x hr/ml and highest ethanol concentrat...