Self-poisoning in Sri Lanka: Factors Determining the Choice of the Poisoning Agents

Sri Lanka is a developing agricultural country with a high fatality rate due to self-poisoning with very toxic agrochemicals as the main poisoning agents. A prospective study of 97 consecutive admissions following self-poisoning reveals that easy availability of the agrochemicals together with the lack of knowledge regarding their lethality were the main causative factors determining the choice of poisoning agents. Developing community awareness of the lethality of these substances, educating the farmers with regards to proper storage and disposal of agrochemicals together with stricter legislation regarding their sale and distribution may reduce the incidence of self-poisoning due to these agents with a consequent reduction in mortality due to self-poisoning.

Monitoring of Patients taking Canthaxanthin and Carotene: An Electroretinographic and Ophthalmological Survey

1 Patients who have taken canthaxanthin and beta-carotene to avert phototoxicity have been monitored by electroretinographic testing. 2 Patients took the compounds only during the summer months, but were monitored for more than 1 year to determine if seasonal changes in the ERG were visible. 3 The characteristic refractile retinal crystals reduced during the winter. 4 The scotopic b-wave amplitude increased during the winter, whether evoked by red or blue flashes. 5 No other ERG parameter altered. 6 Changes noted in 3 and 4 above are reversible. 7 A dose/ERG-amplitude response relationship was established, but no correlation between blood level or total cumulative dose and b-wave amplitude could be found. 8 It is suggested that the Müller cells concentrate canthaxanthin and this is the mechanism which affects the ERG.

Exposure to Paraquat Through Skin Absorption: Clinical and Laboratory Observations of Accidental Splashing on Healthy Skin of Agricultural Workers

Data concerning 15 consecutive cases of single exposures of the skin or eyes during work to paraquat solutions are presented. Urine and serum were analysed for paraquat in all these cases at the laboratory of the Israel Poison Information Center. From these data it is apparent that a single exposure of healthy skin to paraquat solutions caused only local lesions. No systemic effect was detected in these patients.

Effect of Nicotine and Cotinine on the Production of Oxygen Free Radicals by Neutrophils in Smokers and Non-smokers

1 Neutrophils play a role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Most of the patients with ulcerative colitis are non-smokers. 2 Neutrophil function was examined in healthy males, five smokers and five non-smokers, measuring production of oxygen free radicals by chemiluminescence. 3 The chemiluminescence was examined in the presence of nicotine and its main metabolite cotinine in various concentrations. 4 10 mM nicotine inhibited production of oxygen free radicals (90.2% ± 11.6) compared with controls (P < 0.001), as did the same concentration of cotinine (58.9% ± 34.2), (P < 0.05). 5 1 mM solutions had no effect and 3 mM nicotine was required to achieve 50% inhibition. 6 Smokers and non-smokers did not differ. 7 Since plasma concentrations of nicotine after a cigarette are only between 5 and 15 mM, the observed effects of nicotine and cotinine in much higher pharmacological concentrations in this system are unlikely to be of clinical relevance in ulcerative colitis