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Definition

An antidote is an agent, remedy or treatment that counteracts the effect(s) of a poison or toxin.

Additional Info

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Antidotes work by a variety of mechanisms. Here are just a few examples:

• Ingested drug overdoses are often treated with oral doses of activated charcoal which binds the poison tightly, making it harder for your body to absorb the poison in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Naloxone (Narcan) is an antidote for opiate (heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl etc.) overdoses that can be administered as a nasal spray or using an auto-injector (similar to an EpiPen™). It blocks the opiate receptors in the brain and works in seconds to restore normal breathing in patients that might otherwise die.
• Syrup of ipecac removes a poison from your stomach by inducing vomiting.
• The antidote for ethylene glycol poisoning (from drinking antifreeze, for example), is ethyl alcohol; this keeps the body busily metabolizing the chemically similar alcohol instead of the toxin.
• Calcium gluconate gel is a topical (skin-applied) antidote for hydrofluoric acid exposure; it works by trapping the fluoride ion, F^-, as CaF₂.
• Atropine is an antidote for organo-phosphate poisoning caused by certain pesticides or nerve gases. It works by binding to your nervous system's acetylcholine receptors, protecting them against the excess acetylcholine produced when organo-phosphates bind to an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase.

Antidoes are specific to each toxin and must be carefully considered on a risk/benefit basis. Using the wrong antidote can worsen the situation. For example, inducing vomiting when someone has swallowed a strong acid will cause additional damage to the throat and esophagus on the way back up. Therefore, antidotes should only be administered with the guidance of a medical professional.

SDS Relevance

Antidotes, if applicable, will be found on Section 4 of an HCS 2012-compliant SDS and are meant for use by emergency personnel. Some antidotes are useful only for certain kinds of exposures such as skin absorption, ingestion or inhalation so administration of an antidote should only be done after contacting a poison control center or other medical professional. When seeking emergency treatment for a chemical exposure, it is very useful to take the SDS and label (if feasible and not dangerous) with you to the emergency room.

You can contact the American Association of Poison Control Centers in an emergency situation by calling (800) 222-1222 (or call your local hospital emergency room).

See the references in the poison entry for more about emergency poisoning procedures and resources.

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Further Reading

• American Association of Poison Control Centers or call (800) 222-1222.
• Poison Prevention and Treatment in the Home by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Poisoning, a 9 page resource at emedicinehealth.
• Activated Charcoal at WebMD.
• The California Poison Control System has a handy Antidote chart.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) offers technical guidance on antidotes and their availability.
• Naloxone DrugFacts at the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse.

See also: activated charcoal, catharsis, emetic, highly toxic, poison.

Entry last updated: Wednesday, February 23, 2022. This page is copyright 2000-2024 by ILPI. Unauthorized duplication or posting on other web sites is expressly prohibited. Send suggestions, comments, and new entry desires (include the URL if applicable) to us by email.

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