A study of the use and impact of pesticides in St. Lucia - abstract

This paper presents the results of a survey of 130 pesticide users designed to identify attitudes, gaps in knowledge, and unsafe practices which contribute to the risk of pesticide usage to health. A tintometric field method was compared to a standard laboratory method to detect cases of cholinesterase inhibition (pesticide poisoning). Sixty-five per cent of the agricultural workers and vector control officers never wear protective clothing. Their knowledge of routes of absorption was inadequate, but even if warnings are printed boldly on the product labels, <50 percent of the users were capable of consistently understanding written warnings. However, <60 percent of the individuals who understood the labels generally followed the advice provided. The 53 percent of respondents who had received training were no more likely than their untrained colleagues to adhere to safety practices. No significant differences existed between the cholinesterease levels of the exposed and the unexposed workers, but this may be the result of several conservative biases (AU)

Demonstration of anticonvulsant properties of an aqueous extract of Spirit Weed (Eryngium foetifdum L.)

Rats were used to investigate the anticonvulsant potential of two aqueous extracts of Spirit Weed. In this investigation, convulsions were induced by picrotoxin (4.5 mg/kg, i.p.) and these convulsions were consistently abolished by the intraperitioneal (i.p.) infections of aliquots (3ml each) of a steam distillate extract of Spirit Weed. However, those rats which served as controls as well as those which were injected with aliquots (3 ml each) of the boiled aqueous decoction of Spirit Weed, died after 2 hours of convulsions. Also, the steam distillate extract of Spirit Weed delayed (by 12 + 3 minutes) the onset of convulsions when it was given before picrotoxin (4.5 mg/kg, i.p.). Additionally, the steam distillate extract of Spirit Weed mimicked the anticonvulsant effect of phenobarbitone in the same group of rats. Moreover, the steam distillate extract of Spirit Weed did not produce generalized central nervous sustem depression in conscious rats. Therefore, it is concluded that an ingredient in the steam distillate extract of Spirit Weed has anticonvulsant properties which may be useful in the treatment of some forms of epilepsy. This requires further investigation (AU)