This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shadnia, S. Articles by Abdollahi, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shadnia, S. Articles by Abdollahi, M. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Successful treatment of acute aluminium phosphide poisoning: possible benefit of coconut oil

Poison Center, Loghman-Hakim Hospital, Shaheed-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran; Laboratory of Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences; Tehran, Iran

Mojgan Rahimi

Abdolkarim Pajoumand

Mohammad-Hosein Rasouli

Poison Center, Loghman-Hakim Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Shaheed-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Mohammad Abdollahi

Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14155-6451, Iran mohammad{at}tums.ac.ir

Aluminium phosphide is used to control rodents and pests in grain storage facilities. It produces phosphine gas, which is a mitochondrial poison. Unfortunately, there is no known antidote for aluminium phosphide intoxication, but our recent experience with a case showed that rapid prevention of absorption by coconut oil might be helpful. In the present case, we used the same protocol in a 28-year-old man who had ingested a lethal amount (12 g) of aluminium phosphide with suicidal intent and was admitted to hospital approximately 6 hours postingestion. The patient had signs and symptoms of severe toxicity, and his clinical course included metabolic acidosis and liver dysfunction. Treatment consisted of gastric lavage with potassium permanganate solution, oral administration of charcoal and sorbitol suspension, intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate, magnesium sulphate and calcium gluconate, and oral administration of sodium bicarbonate and coconut oil. Conservative and supportive therapy in the Intensive Care Unit was also provided. The patient survived following rapid treatment and supportive care. It is concluded that coconut oil has a positive clinical significance and can be added to the treatment protocol of acute aluminium phosphide poisoning in humans.

Key Words: coconut oil • phosphide • poisoning

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S Shadnia, O Mehrpour, and M Abdollahi Unintentional poisoning by phosphine released from aluminum phosphide Human and Experimental Toxicology, January 1, 2008; 27(1): 87 - 89. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Shadnia, H. Esmaily, G. Sasanian, A. Pajoumand, H. Hassanian-Moghaddam, and M. Abdollahi Pattern of acute poisoning in Tehran-Iran in 2003 Human and Experimental Toxicology, September 1, 2007; 26(9): 753 - 756. [Abstract] [PDF]