Why in news?
A team of doctors from PGIMER Chandigarh and other Indian hospitals reported that using an intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) therapy can significantly lower deaths from poisoning by aluminium phosphide tablets, commonly sold under the brand name Celphos. These tablets are widely used as fumigants to protect stored grains but are deadly if ingested and have caused hundreds of deaths in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The new treatment protocol offers hope for saving lives in rural areas where this poison is often misused.
Background
Aluminium phosphide tablets release phosphine gas when exposed to moisture. Farmers use them to kill pests in grain silos and warehouses, but ingestion leads to severe poisoning. The gas disrupts cellular respiration, causing shock, multi‑organ failure and often death within 24 hours. Until now there was no specific antidote; treatment involved gastric lavage and supportive care, and mortality rates exceeded 70 percent.
What is lipid emulsion therapy?
- Principle: A lipid emulsion is a fat‑rich intravenous fluid normally used for parenteral nutrition. When infused into the bloodstream it can bind lipophilic toxins, acting like a sink that pulls poison away from vital organs.
- Application to phosphine: Doctors discovered that early infusion of ILE sequesters phosphine and its metabolites in the fat droplets, reducing their circulation and easing organ stress.
- Availability: Lipid emulsions are already stocked in hospitals for nutrition therapy, so treatment can be started quickly even in district hospitals.
- Outcome: In the pilot study, mortality dropped sharply among patients treated with ILE in addition to standard supportive care compared with those receiving only conventional therapy.
Significance
- Reducing rural deaths: Because Celphos tablets are cheap and easily available, cases of deliberate or accidental ingestion are common in farming communities. An effective treatment could save many young lives.
- Low‑cost intervention: The therapy uses existing supplies of lipid emulsions, making it affordable for government hospitals.
- Need for awareness: Experts caution that prevention is still crucial; farmers should handle fumigants carefully and households must store them away from children.
Source: Indian Express
