Woodrow C Monte praises Rich Murray for adding relevant recent research to his
copious evidence that chronic methanol toxicity (aspartame) is ubiquitous:
Murray 2007.12.29
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.htm
Saturday, December 29 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1500


Richard Murray:

You have brought together here a thought provoking selection of related
works and in doing this have done great service to those who seek to
understand the true nature and extent of methanol toxicity.

Congratulations!

Woodrow C. Monte

-----Original Message-----
From: aspartameNM@yahoogroups.com [mailto:aspartameNM@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Rich Murray
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 5:38 AM
To: aspartame@yahoogroups.com; aspartameNM@yahoogroups.com; Woodrow C Monte;
info@...; b.kapur@...; dlehotay@...;
carlen@...; gkoren@...; pharmtox@...;
jnr@...; brienj@...; doug@...;
stadeb@...
Subject: ANM: Methyl alcohol ingestion as a model etiologic agent in
multiple sclerosis, WC Monte, D Glanzman, C Johnston; Methanol induced
neuropathology in the mammalian central nervous system, Woodrow C. Monte,
Renee Ann Zeising, both reports 1989.12.04: Murray

Methyl alcohol ingestion as a model etiologic agent in multiple
sclerosis, WC Monte, D Glanzman, C Johnston; Methanol induced
neuropathology in the mammalian central nervous system, Woodrow C.
Monte, Renee Ann Zeising, both reports 1989.12.04: Murray 2007.12.28
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.htm
Friday, December 28 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1499

[ These seminal 1989 studies by Prof. Woodrow C. Monte are also given in
this previous post, along his two recent comprehensive reviews:

role of formaldehyde, made by body from methanol from foods and
aspartame, in steep increases in fetal alcohol syndrome, autism,
multiple sclerosis, lupus, teen suicide, breast cancer, Nutrition
Prof. Woodrow C. Monte, retired, Arizona State U., two reviews, 190
references supplied, Fitness Life, New Zealand 2007 Nov, Dec: Murray
2007.12.26
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, December 26 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1498 ]


http://www.thetruthaboutstuff.com/pdf/(2)%20FASEB%20Meeting%201990%20Abstrac
t%20and%20paper.pdf

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"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority, to enjoy peace,
joy, and love by helping to find, quickly share, and positively act
upon evidence about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...
505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

http://RMForAll.blogspot.com new primary archive

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 116 members, 1,501 posts in a public archive

details on 6 epidemiological studies since 2004 on diet soda (mainly
aspartame) correlations, as well as 14 other mainstream studies on
aspartame toxicity since summer 2005: Murray 2007.11.27
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1490

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1438
Coca-Cola and Cargill Inc., after years of development,
with 24 patents, will soon sell rebiana (stevia)
in drinks and foods: Murray 2007.05.31

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1488
Coca-Cola, Cargill Inc., PureCircle global operations market stevia
for foods and drinks: Murray 2007.11.12

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1453
Souring on fake sugar (aspartame), Jennifer Couzin,
Science 2007.07.06: 4 page letter to FDA from 12 eminent
USA toxicologists re two Ramazzini Foundation
cancer studies 2007.06.25: Murray 2007.07.18

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1451
Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and coloring
agents will be banned from use in newly-born and baby foods,
the European Parliament decided: Latvia ban in schools 2006:
Murray 2007.07.12

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1487
Sainsbury's supermarket chain in UK details its bans of aspartame,
sodium benzoate, and artificial flavourings and colours: Carol Key,
Customer Manager: Murray 2007.11.09

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1427
more from The Independent, UK, Martin Hickman, re ASDA
(unit of Wal-Mart Stores) and Marks & Spencer ban of
aspartame, MSG, artificial chemical additives and dyes
to prevent ADHD in kids: Murray 2007.05.16
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2548747.ece

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1426
ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores WMT.N) and Marks & Spencer
will join Tesco and also Sainsbury to ban and limit
aspartame, MSG, artificial flavors dyes preservatives additives,
trans fats, salt "nasties" to protect kids from ADHD:
leading UK media: Murray 2007.05.15

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Aspartame
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folic acid prevents neurotoxicity from formic acid, made by body from
methanol impurity in alcohol drinks [ also 11 % of aspartame ], BM
Kapur, PL Carlen, DC Lehotay, AC Vandenbroucke, Y Adamchik, U. of
Toronto, 2007 Dec., Alcoholism Cl. Exp. Res.: Murray 2007.11.27
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, November 27, 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1495

[ See also:
http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.htm
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1496
explosion in numbers of children with serious food allergies has
bewildered experts and parents, Helen Francombe, The Australian
2007.11.17: role of formic acid from methanol in liquors and
aspartame: Murray 2007.11.28 ]


http://www.faslink.org/Formic%20Acid%20Kapur.htm

Brief Summary:

Methanol in small amounts is present along with ethanol in beverage
alcohol. [Murray: and about the same amounts from aspartame diet
sodas]

The body's natural enzymes preferentially metabolize ethanol while
methanol breaks down into highly neurotoxic Formic Acid.

Use of high levels of Folic Acid was found to inhibit brain damage
caused by the methanol.

The use of Folic Acid during pregnancy has been recommended for
several years to prevent neural tube defects.

However, this study indicates that even higher levels of Folic Acid
can be very beneficial to the developing baby, particularly where
alcohol exposure is a factor.

Folic Acid is mandated as an additive to all flour sold in Canada.

The debate has begun on its required addition to all beverage
alcohol to help mitigate damage caused to both infants and adults.


Formic Acid in the Drinking patient and the expectant mother
Dr. Bhushan M. Kapur
Departments of Laboratory Medicine,
St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Methanol is produced endogenously in the pituitary glands of humans
and is present as a congener in almost all alcoholic beverages.

Ethanol and methanol are both bio-transformed by alcohol
dehydrogenase; however, ethanol has greater affinity for the enzyme.

Since ethanol is preferentially metabolized by the enzyme, it is not
surprising that trace amounts of methanol, most likely originating
from both sources, have been reported in the blood of people who drink
alcohol.

Toxicity resulting from methanol is very well documented in both
humans and animals and is attributed to its toxic metabolite formic acid.

To understand ethanol toxicity and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders,
it is important to consider methanol and its metabolite, formic acid,
as potential contributors to the toxic effects of alcohol.

Accumulation of methanol suggests that alcohol-drinking population
should have higher than baseline levels of formic acid.

Our preliminary studies do indeed show this.

Chronic low-level exposure to methanol has been suggested to impair
human visual functions.

Formic acid is known to be toxic to the optic nerve.

Ophthalmological abnormalities are a common finding in children
whose mothers used alcohol during pregnancy.

Formic acid, a low molecular weight substance, either crosses the
placenta or may be formed in-situ from the water soluble methanol
that crosses the placenta.

Embryo toxicity from formic acid has been reported in an animal model.

To assess neurotoxicity we applied low doses of formic acid
to rat brain hippocampal slice cultures.

We observed neuronal death with a time and dose response.

Formic acid requires folic acid as a cofactor for its elimination.

Animal studies have shown that when folate levels are low, the
elimination of formic acid is slower and formate levels are elevated.

When folic acid was added along with the formic acid to the brain
slice cultures, neuronal death was prevented.

Therefore, folate deficient chronic drinkers may be at higher risk
of organ damage.

Women who are folic acid deficient and consume alcohol may have
higher levels of formic acid and should they become pregnant,
their fetus may be at risk.

To our knowledge low level chronic exposure to formic acid and its
relationship to folic acid in men or women who drink alcohol has
never been studied.

Our hypothesis is that the continuous exposure to low levels of
formic acid is toxic to the fetus and may be part of the etiology of
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.


http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2007.00541.x

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Volume 31 Issue 12 Page 2114-2120, December 2007

Bhushan M. Kapur, b.kapur@...,
Arthur C. Vandenbroucke, PhD, FCACB
Yana Adamchik,
Denis C. Lehotay, dlehotay@...,
Peter L. Carlen carlen@...,
(2007) Formic Acid, a Novel Metabolite of Chronic Ethanol Abuse,
Causes Neurotoxicity, Which Is Prevented by Folic Acid
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 31 (12), 2114–2120.
doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2007.00541.x

From:
the Department of Clinical Pathology (BMK),
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Division of Clinical Pharmacology
and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;

St. Michael’s Hospital (ACV), Toronto, Canada;
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (BMK, ACV),
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;

Departments of Medicine (Neurology) and Physiology (YA, PLC),
Toronto Western Research Institute, University of Toronto,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada;

and University of Saskatchewan (DLC), Saskatchewan, Canada.

Reprint requests: Dr. Bhushan M. Kapur, Department of Clinical
Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave,
Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada; Fax: 416-813-7562; E-Mail:
b.kapur@...,

Abstract

Background: Methanol is endogenously formed in the brain and is
present as a congener in most alcoholic beverages.

Because ethanol is preferentially metabolized over methanol (MeOH) by
alcohol dehydrogenase, it is not surprising that MeOH accumulates in
the alcohol-abusing population.

This suggests that the alcohol-drinking population will have higher
levels of MeOH’s neurotoxic metabolite, formic acid (FA).

FA elimination is mediated by folic acid.

Neurotoxicity is a common result of chronic alcoholism.

This study shows for the first time that FA, found in chronic
alcoholics, is neurotoxic
and this toxicity can be mitigated by folic acid administration.

Objective:
To determine if FA levels are higher in the alcohol-drinking
population and to assess its neurotoxicity in organotypic hippocampal
rat brain slice cultures.

Methods:
Serum and CSF FA was measured in samples from both ethanol abusing
and control patients, who presented to a hospital emergency
department.

FA’s neurotoxicity and its reversibility by folic acid were
assessed using organotypic rat brain hippocampal slice cultures
using clinically relevant concentrations.

Results:
Serum FA levels in the alcoholics
(mean ± SE: 0.416 ± 0.093 mmol/l, n = 23)
were significantly higher than in controls
(mean ± SE: 0.154 ± 0.009 mmol/l, n = 82) (p < 0.0002).

FA was not detected in the controls’ CSF (n = 20),
whereas it was >0.15 mmol/l in CSF of 3 of the 4 alcoholic cases.

Low doses of FA from 1 to 5 mmol/l added for 24, 48 or 72 hours to
the rat brain slice cultures caused neuronal death as measured by
propidium iodide staining.

When folic acid (1 micromol/l) was added with the FA, neuronal death was
prevented.

Conclusions:
Formic acid may be a significant factor in the neurotoxicity of
ethanol abuse.
This neurotoxicity can be mitigated by folic acid administration
at a clinically relevant dose.
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