Theory 08/Toxicology & Poisoning
Antidotes Must Outrun the Toxin
The claim
Antidote efficacy is set by the ratio of antidote kinetics to toxin kinetics, so an antidote with the right mechanism but slower onset than the toxin fails.
01The mechanism
An antidote must occupy or remove the toxin before it binds its target. The relevant comparison is how fast each reaches the site, not how strong the binding is at equilibrium.
That makes onset the determinant, and explains failures of high-affinity antidotes given late.
02What this is not
Affinity-based antidote models
Those rank by binding strength. This ranks by speed, which explains failures at high affinity.
03Predictions
- P1Efficacy should track the kinetic ratio.
- P2Faster-onset analogues should work better at equal affinity.
04Refutation
Efficacy tracking affinity at controlled onset would favour the equilibrium model.