TOX 10 - Benzene and phenol Flashcards
Benzene
Widely used solvent
Good absorption in GI, vapour absorption in lungs
Concentrates in CNS, good lipid solubility
Benzene acute intoxication
CNS depression (euphoria - nausea - locomotor problems)
no specific treatment
Chronic benzene intoxication
Very serious toxicity of bone marrow
Causes all sorts of anemia
Neurological problems like insomnia and tremor
Possibly increases risk of leukemia
No specific treatment
Phenol
acid compound, local anaesthetic effect -> severe local damage without pain
Phenol intoxication - oral symptoms
Necrosis of mucous membrane in oral cavity and esophagus
Phenol CNS toxicity
Stimulation - depression -> respiratory failure
Phenol intoxication - late complication
Gastric lavage with cooking oil
Symptomatic treatment
Mechanism of Action and Symptoms
Pulmonary toxicity ○ All hydrocarbons can cause chemical pneumonitis by direct contact with pulmonary parenchyma and destroying alveolar and capillary membranes → Increased vascular permeability and edema
● Cardiovascular toxicity ○ Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation
● CNS ○ Hydrocarbons are lipophilic, so they can cross the BBB and cause CNS depression→ euphoria, drowsiness, headache, vertigo, coma
○ _Toluene can damage t_he myelin sheath and cause leukoencephalopathy with dementia as a clinical manifestation
● Renal and Metabolic toxicities ○ Toluene specifically causes renal tubular acidosis, hypokalemia, and rhabdomyolysis
● Hematological toxicities
○ Exposure to benzene is associated with an increased incidence of hematologic disorders, such as aplastic anemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and multiple myeloma.
Treatment
● There is no specific antidote for hydrocarbon toxicity
● Only symptomatic treatment:
○ Oxygen administration
○ Treatment of electrolyte imbalance
○ Treatment of dysrhythmias
