Abstract
A case of glufosinate poisoning is reported. A shizophrenic 39-year-old woman took 55 g of glufosinate to commit suicide. Seven hours later, she was found to be asymptomatic at a local hospial. Twenty-three hours later she developed generalized convulsive movements with consciousness disturbance and was transferred to our hospital. Since her consciousness and respiration were rapidly deteriorating, she required mechanical ventilation. Glufosinate poisoning was proven by urine qualitative analysis using thin-layer chromatography. She was treated with forced diuresis and direct hemoperfusion for 3 days. Four days later, urine qualitative analysis failed to reveal any glufosinate and she was smoothly weaned from mechanical ventilation. The patient was discharged without any sequelae after a 12-day hospitalization. It has been documented in animal experiments that the central nervous system is a major target of acute glufosinate toxicity. BASTATM herbicide contains 18.5% ammonium glufosinate and a surface active agent. A previously described case of BASTATM poisoning showed decreased systemic vascular resistance and hypovolemic shock caused by the surface-active agent. It seems important to give adequate attention to the toxicitiy of both glufosinate and the surface-active agent in cases of BASTATM poisoning.
