Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2025
06:47
Toxicity Study of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Cell Culture and in Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: September 19, 2019
11.1K
Zinc Phosphide Poisoning: From A to Z
Anabell Juárez-Martínez1, Jesús Del Carmen Madrigal-Anaya1, Yessika Paola Rodríguez-Torres1
1Department of Toxicology, Hospital Juárez de México, Mexico City 07760, Mexico.
Toxics
|July 28, 2023
Summary
Zinc phosphide rodenticide poisoning causes severe organ damage. Prompt supportive care and specific antidotal therapy can lead to successful recovery, even in severe cases of poisoning.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Emergency Medicine
- Clinical Case Study
Background:
- Zinc phosphide is a common rodenticide in Mexico, posing a significant poisoning risk.
- Ingested zinc phosphide hydrolyzes to phosphine gas, causing mitochondrial toxicity, cellular hypoxia, and multi-organ dysfunction.
- Currently, no specific antidote or established treatment protocol exists for zinc phosphide toxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a case of successful management of zinc phosphide poisoning.
- To review and discuss updated therapeutic options for zinc phosphide toxicity.
- To explore the pathophysiological basis of zinc phosphide-induced toxicity and its treatment.
Main Methods:
- Case presentation of a 45-year-old female with intentional zinc phosphide ingestion.
- Description of emergency department management including supportive care, decontamination, and antidotal therapy.
- Review of current literature on therapeutic interventions for phosphine poisoning.
Main Results:
- The patient presented with multisystemic disorders indicative of severe toxicity.
- Initiation of supportive care, decontamination, and specific antidotal therapy led to clinical improvement.
- Biochemical abnormalities related to tissue hypoperfusion resolved, and the patient was discharged on day 7 without complications.
Conclusions:
- Despite the lack of a specific antidote, prompt and comprehensive supportive and antidotal therapy can be life-saving in zinc phosphide poisoning.
- Early recognition of clinical manifestations and aggressive management are crucial for favorable outcomes.
- Further research into effective therapeutic strategies for zinc phosphide toxicity is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison
851
In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
851
01:26Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment
921
Anticholinesterases, also known as cholinesterase inhibitors, work by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, leading to its accumulation in the synaptic cleft. This accumulation indirectly enhances both muscarinic and nicotinic actions. These agents are classified as reversible or irreversible based on their mechanism of action.
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...
921