ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the therapeutic effects of activated charcoal on the acute dichlorvos poisoning in rats. Method Thirty male clean grade Wistar rats were randomly (random number) divided into three groups: control group (group A, n = 10), single dose activated charcoal group (group B, n = 10) and multi-dose activated charcoal (group C, n=10). The rats of group A were suffered from 35 mg/kg dichlorvos exposure by oral without activated charcoal and senna. The rats of group B received 35 mg/kg dichlorvos exposure by oral with 175 mg/kg activated charcoal given immediately after dichlorvos exposure and 35 mg/kg senna given half an hour later. In the group C, 35 mg/kg dichlorvos was given to rats by oral with 175 mg/kg activated charcoal given immediately after dichlorvos exposure and 35 mg/kg senna given half an hour later and then every four hours. Blood samples were collected from the carotid artery at different intervals after exposure. DDVP concentration and total blood acetyl-cholinesterase activity were detected. Differences in serum DDVP concentration, Cmax, AUC (0→∞ ), MRT and acetylcholinesterase among three groups were calculated by using ANOVA. Results Serum DDVP levels in single dose group and in multi-dose group were significantly different from those in control group (P < 0.05). The DDVP levels in multi-dose group were significantly different from those in single dose group 4 hours after exposure (P < 0.05). The AUC and Cmax in activated charcoal treatment groups were significantly different from those in control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in MRT among three groups. Fours hours after exposure to dichlorvos,the levels of serum acetylcholinesterase in rats of group B and group C were significantly different from that in rats of group A (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in acetylcholinesteras between group B and group C (P > 0.05). Another four hours later, no differences in acetylcholinesterase were found a-mong three groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions The peak concentrations of dichlorvos in blood are lower in group B and group C, and the blood acetylcholinesterase inhibition is quelled by activated charcoal. Therefore, the effects of multi - dose of activated charcoal is better than that of single dose of activated charcoal.