A Case of Chlorfluazuron Insectisides Poisoning with Mental Change

ABSTRACT

Benzoylureas are chemical compounds best known for their use as insecticides. Diflubenzuron is one of the more commonly used benzoylurea pesticides. Others include chlorfluazuron, flufenoxuron, hexaflumuron, and triflumuron. They act as insect growth regulators by inhibiting synthesis of chitin in the body of the insect. They have low toxicity in mammals because mammals have no chitin. Chlorfluazuron insecticides, which are mixed with solvent naphatha, are commonly used. Thus we assume that in the presented case mental change outcome of poisoning was connected with toxic effects of solvent naphtha rather than with chlorfluazuron action. Components of solvent naphtha, particularly trimethylbenzenes, exert strong irritant action on the gastric mucosa and are very well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. We report on a 67-year-old man with stuporous mentality after intentional ingestion of approximately 200 ml of liquid chlorfluazuron in a suicide attempt. He was discharged after conservative treatments including gastric irrigation, charcoal, mechanical ventilation, hydration, and antibiotics for aspiration pneumonia without complications.