Citation

Kumar A, Verma A. Sri Lanka J. Forensic Med. Sci. Law 2012; 3(2): 1-5.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, University of Peradeniya, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine)

DOI

10.4038/sljfmsl.v3i2.5434

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In India, an agricultural country with a predominance of rural population (60-80%), acute agrochemical toxicity is a major health problem as they are freely available and extensively used. Agrochemical compounds pose an important community health hazard throughout the world, particularly in the Asia- pacific region. Due to their severe intrinsic toxicity, new compounds of low toxicity and high potency are continuously being developed to replace them.

Pendimethalin is such a compound which is widely-used as herbicide for the control of annual grasses and certain broadleaf weeds in commercial crops. It claims to exhibit least human toxicity and has been classified as a group C possible human carcinogen by the United States environmental protection agency. Only a very few cases of its toxicity have been reported till date around the world, invariably due to its deliberate ingestion. Its toxicity is mainly manifested by head ache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, retching and haematemesis etc. Here we report a patient who suffered gastro duodenal injury along with significant neurological manifestation after its deliberate self ingestion. This case is being reported on account of its rarity and significance for community health.