monocrotophos and Poisoning

Monitoring data on field-worker exposure studies show that prolonged or continued use of monocrotophos in plant protection may lead to significant dermal exposure with an impact on cholinesterase activity. Although oral uptake (suicide) is more hazardous than dermal exposure (spray work), both exposure routes may be potentially fatal. On the other hand, prompt therapy is successful even after a heavy oral dose. The epidemiological review did not reveal a prominent risk scenario. Justification of monocrotophos use depends on agricultural need and appropriate safety measures. Eighteen cases of monocrotophos poisoning have been identified in the literature and from the manufacturer's case file. Seven cases were occupational, and nine resulted from suicide attempts. One case was a nonprofessional accident, and one was recorded without details. Further monocrotophos poisoning cases may be concealed in the unspecified data on poisoning among tropical farming communities. However, the fact remains, that only a small number of reliably reported poisoning cases are attributable to monocrotophos products, and the reports confirm the efficacy of basic medical attention to poisoning. This is in contrast to the high hazard classification and to the high perceived hazard of the products in question. Safetywise, monocrotophos appears to be better than its reputation. A level of safety precautions normally recommended for pesticide work is sufficient, even under large-scale professional use conditions, to utilize monocrotophos safely.

Topics: Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Female; Humans; Male; Monocrotophos; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Poisoning; Protective Clothing; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted

Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh, southern India, records >1000 pesticide poisoning cases each year and hundreds of deaths. We aimed to describe their frequency and distribution, and to assess quality of management and subsequent outcomes from pesticide poisoning in one large hospital in the district.. We reviewed data on all patients admitted with pesticide poisoning to a district government hospital for the years 1997 to 2002. For 2002, details of the particular pesticide ingested and management were abstracted from the medical files.. During these 6 years, 8040 patients were admitted to the hospital with pesticide poisoning. The overall case fatality ratio was 22.6%. More detailed data from 2002 revealed that two-thirds of the patients were <30 years old, 57% were male and 96% had intentionally poisoned themselves. Two compounds, monocrotophos and endosulfan, accounted for the majority of deaths with known pesticides in 2002. Low fixed-dose regimens were used in the majority of cases for the most commonly used antidotes (atropine and pralidoxime). Inappropriate antidotes were also used in some patients.. It is likely that these findings reflect the situation in many rural hospitals of the Asia Pacific region. Even without an increase in resources, there appear to be significant opportunities for reducing mortality by better medical management and further restrictions on the most toxic pesticides.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Antidotes; Atropine; Child; Endosulfan; Female; Humans; India; Insecticides; Length of Stay; Male; Middle Aged; Monocrotophos; Pesticides; Poisoning; Pralidoxime Compounds; Sex Distribution; Time Factors

To study the process and significance of the distribution of free organophosphorus poisons (FOPs) in the blood and bile of rabbits poisoned with organophosphates.. Seventy two livid blue rabbits, male, 2 - 2.5 kg in weight, were divided into 3 groups: trichlorfon (556.0 mg/kg), monocrotophos (11.12 mg/kg) and methyl parathion (37.05 mg/kg). Each group consisted of 24 rabbits. All organophosphates were administered by subcutaneous route. Blood and bile were collected at time intervals of 1, 6, 24, 96 hours after administration. Blood cells and plasma were separated. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured with dithiobisnitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) enzyme kinetic method. The levels of FOPs in plasma and bile were determined with enzyme inhibited method.. From 1 h to 96 h after administration negative correlation was found between time and FOP concentration in plasma (trichlorfon, r = -0.74, P < 0.01; monocrotophos, r = -0.55, P < 0.01; methyl parathion, r = -0.69, P < 0.01), and it was also found in bile between time and FOP concentration of trichlorfon (r = -0.97, P < 0.01) and monocrotophos (r = -0.71, P < 0.01). There is no linear correlation between time and concentration of methyl parathion in bile (r = -0.14, P > 0.05). When FOPs in plasma were not detectable at 96 h after administration, high levels of FOPs could still be detected in bile [trichlorfon (300.3 +/- 174.44) IU/L; monocrotophos (362.8 +/- 136.62) IU/L; methyl parathion (101.0 +/- 75.85) IU/L].. The bile is the most important store for FOPs in animal. FOPs can exist in bile over 96 h. The process of poisoning is a changing process of absorption, distribution and redistribution and it is different owing to various physical and chemical properties of organophosphates.

Topics: Animals; Bile; Male; Methyl Parathion; Monocrotophos; Organophosphorus Compounds; Poisoning; Rabbits; Trichlorfon

Topics: Animals; Anura; Chlorpyrifos; Chromatography, Gas; Fish Diseases; Fishes; Insecticides; Methyl Parathion; Monocrotophos; Oryza; Pesticide Residues; Poisoning; Water Pollutants, Chemical

Topics: Adolescent; Antidotes; Humans; Male; Monocrotophos; Poisoning; Respiration, Artificial; Suicide, Attempted

The status of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) after pesticide exposure was assessed in mice with the help of skin sensitivity and graft versus host reaction tests. It was observed that at 24 hours post-challenge CMI values did not differ significantly from the control, indicating no effect of quinalphos treatment in mice. Goats receiving monocrotophos at a dose rate of 1.0 mg kg-1 body mass for 40 days gave a similar result when CMI was tested with the help of the chemical sensitizer dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). Thus the results clearly indicate that the tested organophosphates do not interfere with cellular immunity in the intoxicated animals.

Topics: Animals; Chickens; Goats; Graft vs Host Reaction; Immunity, Cellular; Insecticides; Male; Mice; Monocrotophos; Organothiophosphorus Compounds; Poisoning