Evaluation of Role of Iron, Copper and Coconut Oil in Treatment of Acute Aluminum Phosphide Poison in Experimental Rats

Ezz El Din Mostafa Abd El Wahed Shalaby¹,Nagla Ahmed ElNabarawy²,Dalia Abd Elwahab Hassan³,Mohamed  Sherif Negm⁴ and Sarah A. Khater⁵

¹Department of Forensic Medicine And Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

²National Egyptian Center of Environmental And Toxicological Research, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

³Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni Suef University, Egypt

⁴Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

⁵Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Misr University for Science and Technology, Egypt

Corresponding Author E-mail : ezz.shalaby@yahoo.com

Abstract: Aluminum phosphide (ALP) is a cheap highly toxic pesticide. It inhibits cytochrome oxidase, oxidative phosphorylation, and producing an energy crisis in the cells. It is, widely available worldwide, with a lot of reported intoxicated cases and no specific antidotes are available. This study aims to investigate the effect of oral iron, copper and coconut oil as possible oral antidote in treatment of ALP toxicity. 48 Rats were divided into 6 groups with 8 rats each (4 males and 4 females) Group A served as control. (Untreated rats) Group B received ALP. Group C: received ALP + oral copper after half hour of ingestion of ALP. Group D: received ALP +oral iron ferric hydroxide poly maltose after half hour of ingestion of ALP. Group E: received ALP +oral virgin coconut oil after half hour of ingestion of ALP. Group F:  received ALP +oral copper + oral Iron (ferric hydroxide poly maltose) + virgin coconut oil daily, after half hour of ingestion of ALP. Investigations were done to all rats including: cardiac enzymes: CK, CK-MB, AST and LDH, liver function tests: Bilirubin total and direct, AST and ALT, kidney function tests: urea and creatinine. Also, pathological assessment of lung, liver, and kidney were done.Copper has amelioration effect on ALP toxicity (important for function of cytochrome oxidase). However, iron showed an ineffective role in treatment of ALP toxicity. In addition, coconut oil can be added to the treatment of ALP toxicity. Pathological assessment also confirmed the results of lung, liver, and kidney in rats. We recommend to use copperas oral antidote in treatment of Aluminum phosphide poison. And oral coconut oil to be added in treatment plan.

Keywords: Aluminum Phosphide; Copper; Iron; Coconut Oil; Cytochrome Oxidase.

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