Aluminium phosphide poisoning in mice and the procedure for its managements

Abstract

Objective: Aluminium phosphide (ALP) cause cellular death by releasing of phosphorus. This material is also a household fumigant insecticide used in rice bags. It is known as “Rice tablet” in Iran. We studied ALP poisoning intensity in mice and tried to obtain antidote against that poison. Methods: We used 20-30 gr white male mice in this study. Acute and chronic (24-48 hr next) poisoning effects of the ALP (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) on the heart, lung, kidney and liver were studied by a pathologist. All of the drugs were injected IP. Then data were analyzed with statistical methods. Difference with P<0.05 between data from experimental groups at each point was considered statistically significant. Findings: The dosage of 40 mg/kg was considered as LD50 of ALP. The mice were exposed to this dosage died during 35±15 min. The pathologic reports showed that the most common changes were in the liver. The pretreatment of sodium selenite has not affected the mortality time, but it decreased the pulmonary and hepatic complications (Edema and fatty changes, P=0.028). NAC (50-100 mg/kg) also improved the hepatic complications and prevented the hepatic necrosis (P=0.0002). It also delayed the mortality latency time till 138±13 hrs (P<0.001). There was a significant delay in mortality latency time between the group-received vitamin C (500-1000 mg/kg) and the control group (250±70 min vs 46±12, P<0.0005). Conclusion: Pretreatment of sodium selenite dose not improve the mortality rate except the pathologic results, but NAC delays the mortality time and improves the hepatic complications completely. There was no considerable effect for magnesium sulfate in our study.

Keywords

• aluminium phosphide
• phosphin
• hepatic complications
• antidote