Journal of Toxicology最新文献

Background: Aluminum phosphide poisoning is one of the most common forms of poisoning which requires immediate and urgent treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficiency of two solutions, including hydroxyethyl starch and normal saline, in treating hypotension in patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 35 patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. We reviewed the profile of 18 patients treated with hydroxyethyl starch and 17 patients treated with normal saline. Within-group and between-group differences in systolic blood pressure before and after treatment were compared using paired t-test and independent t-test, respectively.

Results: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of the subjects in the starch and normal saline groups was 27.06 ± 9.72 and 27.88 ± 9.08, respectively. The levels of blood pressure in the two groups were not significantly different before the treatment; the mean ± SD of systolic blood pressure in the starch and normal saline groups was 72.67 ± 14.49 and 68.59 ± 8.3, respectively (P=0.313). After the treatment, it was significantly increased to 94 ± 24.45 and 85.18 ± 19.9 in the starch group (P=0.001) and the normal saline group (P=0.004), respectively. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.245). Only one person survived in each group.

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, although there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their effects on hypotension, these treatments could not prevent mortality.

The present study investigated the trace metal levels in sediments, enrichment in sediments, and its bioaccumulation in mollusks collected from the intertidal sediments of the coast of Accra, Ghana, which is influenced by anthropogenic activities. The metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Zn) were analyzed in sediments. The metals (Mn, Cu, Cr, and Zn) were analyzed in the soft tissue of the mollusks collected from the different coastal areas. The results indicate that although Accra is the capital city and the coast receives tons of anthropogenic wastes, trace metal levels were low and there was no enrichment for the metals analyzed except Cu which showed minor to moderate enrichment in the coastal sediments. There was bioaccumulation of the trace metals in the soft tissue of the mollusks, and the results suggest that the mollusks studied, the gastropods (Agaronia razetoi) and the bivalves (Tivela tripla), can be used for biomonitoring.

Introduction: The use of medicines is a ubiquitous practice for the management of healthcare conditions. In the delivery of healthcare, medicines may remain unused and may expire within the various stakeholders in the pharmaceutical value chain. If these unused and expired medicines are not disposed of properly, they may result in the concentration of pharmaceuticals in environmental media contaminating food sources for humans and animals. Implementation of ecopharmacovigilance strategies will reduce the quantities of pharmaceuticals in the environmental media, reduce the potential for inadvertent consumption by humans and animals, and reduce potential pharmacological effects on the environment, humans, and animals. The drug disposal flow diagram (DDFD) provides an effective way of assessing the most cost-effective strategies to reduce environmental contamination.

Method: A combined method of desk study and questionnaires, both structured and unstructured was used. The desk study reviewed the institutional arrangements for the regulation of disposal of pharmaceutical waste in Krowor. The questionnaires were used to gather information from community members, community pharmacies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers in Krowor.

Results: The drug disposal flow diagram shows that up to 96% of pharmaceuticals are handled and disposed of in ways that are harmful to the environment with only 4% being handled in ways that are environmentally friendly. Forty-nine percent (49%) of generated pharmaceutical waste ends up in the local and surrounding areas, 21% contaminates the drainage system and 25% is discharged into receiving waters. Discussion. The DDFD for Krowor shows that engagement with community members and institutional healthcare service providers and strategies that result in separation of pharmaceutical waste from general household waste will reduce the quantities of pharmaceuticals that end up in the environmental media.

Conclusion: The DDFD will support the effective implementation of ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) strategies.

Flaxseed is a source of antioxidants utilized for female infertility treatment in traditional medicine. This study investigated the effects of flax hydroalcoholic extract and flaxseeds during prenatal and postnatal (PND) periods on folliculogenesis and serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Pregnant NMRI mice received 500 and 1000 mg/kg of flax extract (LE) and the same doses of flaxseed (LS). Female pups received the same regimen for 56 days. The body, ovarian morphometry, follicle development, and TAC levels were evaluated. The ovarian weight significantly increased in the LE1000 group compared to the LS500 group. The LE500 group had a considerably lower number of primary and antral follicles compared to the CTL and LS1000 groups. The number of antral follicles significantly increased in the LE1000 group compared to the LS500 and LE500 groups. The number of preovulatory follicles was higher in the LE1000 group. A significant increase in the TAC levels was detected in the LS500, LS1000, and LE1000 groups. LE showed a dose-dependent protective effect on the folliculogenesis in F1, which is more evident with the dosage of 1000 mg/kg. This could be related to the strongest antioxidant property of LE1000, as shown by the highest levels of TAC.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental toxin utilized for the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Due to BPA's extensive production and environmental contamination, human exposure is unavoidable. The effects of low-dose of BPA on various body tissues and organs remain controversial. Our study investigated the potential of BPA to induce biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical changes in the coronary artery and myocardium and the potential protective role of L-carnitine (LC). 24 adult Wistar albino male rats were divided equally into a control group, a BPA-treated group (40 mg/kg/d, by gavage for 4 weeks), and a BPA plus LC-treated group (received 40 mg/kg/d of BPA and 300 mg/kg/d of LC, by gavage for 4 weeks). BPA-exposed rats demonstrated structural anomalies in the coronary artery tissue including vacuolation of cells in the media and detachment of the endothelium of the intima. Congestion of blood vessels and infiltration by polynuclear cells were observed in the myocardium. There was an enhanced collagen deposition in both tissues indicating fibrosis. Immunohistochemical changes included enhanced eNOS and caspase-3 expression in the coronary artery and myocardium indicating vascular disease and apoptosis, respectively. Oxidative damage was evident in the coronary artery and the myocardium of BPA-treated rats, which was indicated by the reduced level of glutathione (GSH) and elevated malondydehyde (MDA) levels. The coadministration of LC significantly improved BPA-induced structural alterations and oxidative stress. In conclusion, BPA could potentially cause pathologic changes and oxidative damage in the coronary artery and myocardium, which could be improved by LC coadministration.