Pathological changes in rats with acute Dysosma versipellis poisoning / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the pathological changes of major organs in rats with acute Dysosma versipellis poisoning and investigate the toxic mechanism and the injuries of target tissues and organs.@*METHODS@#Forty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups, which were given the gavage with 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 LDo doses of Dysosma versipellis decoction, and one control group, which was given the gavage with 1.0 LD0 dose of normal saline. The rats were sacrificed 14 days after Dysosma versipellis poisoning and samples including brain, heart, liver, lung, and kidney were taken. After pathological process, the pathological changes of the major organs and tissues were observed by light microscope and electron microscope. The experimental data were statistical analyzed by chi2 test.@*RESULTS@#The observations of light microscopy: loose cytoplasm of neurons with loss of most Nissl bodies; swelling of myocardial cells with disappearance of intercalated disk and striations; hepatocellular edema with ballooning degeneration; and swelling epithelial cells of renal proximal convoluted tubule with red light coloring protein-like substances in the tube. The observations of electron microscopy: the structures of cell membrane and nuclear membrane of neurons were destroyed; cytoplasm of neurons, obvious edema; and most organelles, destroyed and disappeared. The mortalities of rats after acute poisoning of the four groups increased with doses (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Acute Dysosma versipellis poisoning can cause multi-organ pathological changes. There is a positive correlation between the toxic effect and the dosage. The target tissues and organs are brain (neurons), heart, liver and kidney.

Larvicidal potential of Nerium indicum and Thuja oriertelis extracts against malaria and Japanese encephalitis vector.

Ethanolic and acetone extracts of Nerium indicum and Thuja orientelis have been studied against III instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. Ethanolic extract of N. indicum is found more effective than its acetone extract against anopheline larvae with LC50 values of 185.99 and 148.05 ppm for former and 229.28 and 149.43 ppm for the later after 24 and 48 hrs of exposure. The acetone extract with LC50 values of 209.00 and 155.97 ppm is more effective in case of culicine larvae than its ethanolic extract with LC50 494.07 and 194.49 ppm after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. Ethanolic extract of T. orientelis is more effective against both the larval species with LC50 values of 13.10 and 9.02 ppm after 24 and 48 hours for anopheline and 22.74 and 16.72 ppm against culicine larvae. The acetone extract showed LC50 values of 200.87 and 127.53 ppm against anopheline and 69.03 and 51.14 ppm against culicine larvae. Thus ethanolic extract of T. orientelis is an ideal potential larvicide for both types of mosquito larvae.

A clinical and laboratory profile of Cleistanthus collinus poisoning.

AIMS: 1. To study the clinical features in patients with Cleistanthus collinus poisoning, 2.To study in them the effect of Cleistanthus collinus poisoning on the various organ systems and metabolic parameters using standard laboratory investigations. METHODS: All patients admitted to the hospital between September 1998 and April 2000 were studied. Statistical analysis of the results was done using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and Student's 't' test. RESULTS: Forty six cases were studied, 15 (32%) of whom died. Eighty percent of the patients were in the second to third decade. The female:male ratio was 3:2. Ingestion of the poison as a decoction prepared from the leaves and ingestion of a large number of leaves otherwise were associated with a poor outcome. While survivors remained relatively asymptomatic, fatally poisoned patients presented with significant clinical signs and symptoms, however, laboratory abnormalities such as hypokalaemia, hyponatremia, an elevated AST/LDH/CPK/CPK-MB, nonspecific ST-T changes and QTc prolongation on ECG, metabolic acidosis and hypoxia with widened alveolar-arterial oxygen difference (A-aDO2) were seen in both groups. CONCLUSION: It is a poisoning seen in the young with significant mortality. Cause of death appears to be mainly due to its cardiac and respiratory effects. Metabolic disturbances especially hypokalaemia was a prominent feature. Most deaths occurred on the 3rd day and all within a week. No specific antidote is available.

Epidemic dropsy in Trans Yamuma areas of Delhi and U.P.

Thirty patients of epidemic dropsy from seven families scattered in different areas of East Delhi and UP were studied. The age group of the affected individuals varied from 2 years to 55 years. Argemone oil contamination was found in mustard oil used for cooking. Sanguinarine was detected in all suspected oil samples. Pitting edema of legs was the most consistent feature present in all cases. Other prominent features like local erythema and tenderness were present in 80% and 70% cases, respectively. In contrast to earlier epidemics, two striking features were presence of persistent tachycardia without any pyrexia in all the cases and absence of any ocular problems. There was one death due to congestive heart failure and partial recovery in all others in a 2 months follow up.

Gloriosa superba poisoning.

Suicidal attempts by consuming poisonous extracts of a creeper plant Gloriosa superba are frequent in this region. An instance of such poisoning is reported here, wherein a family engaged in business dealing with this plant consumed the crude liquid extract of its root. The symptoms were mainly gastrointestinal. The children had more severe symptoms which included sweating, hypotension, jaundice, bradycardia and convulsions. The features were reversible with symptomatic treatment alone.

Is monofluoracetic acid the active neurotoxic principle in Palicourea marcgravii (St. Hill) leaves?

Acute intoxication of rats with the crude extract of Palicourea marcgravii (PM) and with monofluoraccetic acid (MFA) solutions was comapred since it has been reported that PM leaves contain monofluoreacetates (455 microng/g air-dried material). The neurotoxic signs produce by oral administration of PM and MFA were similar and included tonic-clonic seixures. The dose-reponse curves onstructed for the convulsant effects of PM and MFA were parallel and the CD50s were 630 mg/Kg (508-781) and 0.90 mg/Kg (0.76-1.06), respectively. These data suggest that the neurotixic signs produced by PM are the consequence of MFA presente in the plant leaves