The Many Faces of Methylmercury Poisoning

Elhassani, Sami B.

doi:10.3109/15563658208992523

Cited by 56 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…A sad, famous poisoning episode occurred in the 1950s among people living around Minamata Bay (Japan), showing the irreversible neurological damage and teratogenic effects due to consummation of Hg-contaminated fish (De Flora et al, 1994). Methylmercury (MeHg) is the most toxic form, able to interfere with thiol metabolism, causing inhibition or inactivation of proteins containing thiol ligands and ultimately leading to mitotic disturbances (Das et al, 1982;Elhassani, 1983). Numerous recent studies indeed have concluded that the majority, if not all, of the Hg that is bioaccumulated through the food chain is as MeHg (Winfrey and Rudd, 1990;Fitzgerald, 1990, 1991;Gilmour and Henry, 1991;Horvat et al, 1999;Carbonell et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in fishes from Augusta Bay (southern Italy): Risk assessment and health implication

Manta

Oliveri

et al. 2013

Food and Chemical Toxicology

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a b s t r a c tOur study reports on the total mercury (HgT) concentrations measured in the muscles and livers of several benthic, demersal and pelagic fish species caught inside and outside of Augusta Bay (southern Italy), a semi-enclosed marine area, highly contaminated by the uncontrolled (since the 1950s to 1978s) discharge of the largest European petrochemical plant. Mercury levels in fish tissues are discussed with regard to specific habitat, size and/or age of the specimens and HgT distribution in the bottom sediments. Results suggest a still active Hg release mechanism from the polluted sediments to the marine environment. Also, the high HgT concentrations measured in fishes caught in the external area of the bay imply a potential role of Augusta Bay as a pollutant source for the Mediterranean ecosystem. Finally, values of hazard target quotient (THQ) and estimated weekly intake (EWI) demonstrate that consumption of fishes caught inside the bay represents a serious risk for human health. Also, data indicate that intake of fishes caught from the external area of the bay, especially for that concern demersal and benthic species, could be represent a significant component of risk for the local population.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in fishes from Augusta Bay (southern Italy): Risk assessment and health implication

Manta

Oliveri

et al. 2013

Food and Chemical Toxicology

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“…2,5,6 Other medications that can rarely cause anagen effluvium include bismuth, levodopa, colchicine and cyclosporine. 3 Hair shedding usually begins 1 to 3 weeks after this incident.…”

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Azathioprine induced anagen effluvium: a rare case report

2017

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<p class="abstract"><span lang="EN-IN">Anagen effluvium occurs due to an agent or event that drastically reduces the metabolic activity of the matrix cells of the hair follicle. At any given time more than 80% of scalp hair is in the anagen phase of the hair cycle. Hence the resulting hair loss is abrupt and extensive. In majority of the cases, it occurs in association with cancer chemotherapy and radiation, other causes being rare. Here we report a case of a middle aged female suffering from Atopic dermatitis that was put on treatment with Azathioprine for the same. Treatment with Azathioprine was followed by a diffuse and extensive hair loss from the scalp associated with painful oral ulcers and marked leucocytopenia within a month of administration. The hair grew back within four months of stopping Azathioprine. This case report is an attempt to highlight a rare but extremely distressing side effect of Azathioprine which is a commonly used drug in dermatology.</span></p>

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“…Because the damage to the central nervous system appears to be irreversible, treatment must be initiated promptly after exposure (3,5). The only way to prevent or ameliorate toxicity once methylmercury has been ingested is to accelerate its elimination from the body.Strategies for removing methylmercury indude hemodialysis, exchange transfusion, and chelation therapy, with the latter being the least invasive and most common therapeutic intervention (3,5,6). Although many chelating agents have been tested over the past four decades, no single best agent has yet been identified for use in methylmercury poisoning.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Environ Health Prect 106:267-271 (1998). [Online 31 March 1998] /rnp:I/Xehbpnnctl .niXehs.nihbwg ov/docas/fl9 98/1p267-27l1b /alhorbsrtr btmnl Human exposure to methylmercury occurs mostly through consumption of fish and other seafood, although several major inadvertent exposures have also occurred, including epidemics in Japan (Minamata disease), Iraq, Pakistan, and Guatemala (1)(2)(3). Exposure may also occur in research laboratories, as evidenced by the recent fatal poisoning of a chemist at Dartmouth College (4).…”

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confidence: 99%

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N-Acetylcysteine as an Antidote in Methylmercury Poisoning

Ballatori¹,

Lieberman²,

Wang³

1998

Environmental Health Perspectives

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Methylmercury is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and a potent neurotoxin. Treatment of methylmercury poiso relies almost exclusively on the use of chelating agents to accelerate excretion of the metal. The present study demonstrates that oral administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a widely avaiable and largely nontoxic amino acid derivative, produces a profound acceleration of urinary methylmercury excretion in mice. Mice that reeived NAC in the drinking water (10 mglml) starting at 48 hr after methylmercury amiaion excreted from 47 to 54% of the 203Hg in urine over the subsequent 48 ir, as compared to 4-10% excretion in control animals. When NAC-containig water wastgiven from the time ofmethylmercury administration, it was even more effectve at enhancing urinary methylmercury excreton and at lowering tisue mercury levels. Individuals poisoned with methylmercury exhibit severe neurological disturbances, including paresthesia, ataxia, sensory and speech impairment, and visual field constriction (1-3). These clinical symptoms become evident only after a relatively long latent period of 1-2 months. Because the damage to the central nervous system appears to be irreversible, treatment must be initiated promptly after exposure (3,5). The only way to prevent or ameliorate toxicity once methylmercury has been ingested is to accelerate its elimination from the body.Strategies for removing methylmercury indude hemodialysis, exchange transfusion, and chelation therapy, with the latter being the least invasive and most common therapeutic intervention (3,5,6). Although many chelating agents have been tested over the past four decades, no single best agent has yet been identified for use in methylmercury poisoning. Of the agents that have been examined, meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA, succimer) and 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS, Dimaval) are the most efficient at enhancing methylmercury excretion and in preventing toxicity in both experimental animals (7-16) and humans (5,6,17 (35). We confirmed the purity ofthe synthesized CH3203HgC1 using cold vapor atomic absorption (36). The product contained less than 1% inorganic mercury impurity. NAC was purchased from Sigma Chemical Company (St. Louis, MO). It was dissolved in water, the pH adjusted to 6.7-6.8 by adding 5 M NaOH, and diluted to a final concentration of 10 mg/ml. We prepared fresh NAC solutions every 2-3 days.Female and male C57B1/6 mice (15-26 g, 8 weeks of age) were obtained from Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, and from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. The animals were maintained on Purina Mills laboratory chow with water ad libitum in a temperature-controlled room with a 12-hr alternating light cycle. Experiments were conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the National Institutes of Health for care of laboratory animals.Mice were placed individually in stainlesssteel metabolic cages (Lab Products Inc., Rochelle Park, NJ) and were allowed to acclimate to the cages for 3-4 days. Urine and feces were collected on...

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The Many Faces of Methylmercury Poisoning

Cited by 56 publications

References 78 publications

Mercury in fishes from Augusta Bay (southern Italy): Risk assessment and health implication

Mercury in fishes from Augusta Bay (southern Italy): Risk assessment and health implication

Azathioprine induced anagen effluvium: a rare case report

N-Acetylcysteine as an Antidote in Methylmercury Poisoning

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