Metal phosphides are widely used as a rodenticide and insecticide and poisoning with these substances has a very high mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the butyrylcholinesterase (BuCh) level in poisoning with metal phosphides.

Today, the use of pesticides in the world is considered as a recognized health It is estimated that around 30% of global suicides are due to pesticide self-poisoning . Metal phosphides pesticides are highly toxic, low cost, and are easily accessible as rodenticide agents and used for self-poisoning . aluminum phosphide (ALP) are among the most important metal phosphides. Poisoning with these agents is frequently seen in India, Srilanka and Iran. In a recent study, the incidence of fatal aluminum phosphide poisoning cases referred for phosphine analysis was 5.22 and 37.02 per million of population of Tehran, Iran in 2006 and 2013, respectively (9).The mechanism of toxicity is not clearly defined. ALP toxicity is related to the production of phosphine gas. Phosphine inhibits cytochrome c oxidase and causes mitochondrial destruction and inhibits oxidative respiration which leads to anaerobic metabolism, severe metabolic acidosis, multi-organ dysfunction and death. Phosphine can lead to severe cardiac suppression and cardiogenic shock. One of the proposed mechanisms of toxicity is the reduction of the true cholinesterase and serum cholinesterase (butyrylcholinesterase) enzyme, but usually do not show obvious clinical manifestations .

Inclusion Criteria: cases of aluminum phosphide poisoning -

Exclusion Criteria: concomitant ingestion

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cases of aluminum phosphide poisoning attending Assiut University Hospitals