This document discusses the effects of organophosphate (OP) insecticide exposure on human development. It begins by explaining the mechanism of OP poisoning, which is inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, leading to acetylcholine accumulation and oxidative stress. Specific physiological outcomes of OP exposure are then outlined, including reduced fertility due to hormone imbalance and egg/sperm damage, altered glucose metabolism and insulin resistance contributing to diabetes, and cognitive decline resulting from neuronal damage. The document recommends increased antioxidant intake through foods like vitamins A and E to reduce oxidative stress in highly exposed groups like farmworkers.
Endocrine Disruption and Immune DysfunctionDES Daughter
by the Collaborative on Health and the Environment
On this first in a series of calls on endocrine disrupting chemicals, Dr. Rodney Dietert discussed how the immune system is a target for endocrine disrupting chemicals, particularly during development. Numerous relatively ‘hidden’ effects can ensue from a single risk factor and emerge over a lifetime. He also discussed how current safety testing fails to appropriately assess misregulated inflammation as the greatest immune based health risk.
Sources: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/13389
Microbiota, Vitamin D Receptor and Autoimmuityfathi neana
1. Vitamins are substances which usually cannot be made by the body itself.
2. The body synthesizes vitamin D from 7-dehydro-cholesterol. Vitamin D is not a vitamin, it is a Gene-Transcriptional-Activator, a paracrine steroid hormone. It is the primary ligand which activate VDR
3. Deactivated VDR causes down regulation of the innate immunity. The burden on adaptive immunity increases creating a state of chronic inflammation with possible maladaptation and autoimmunity
4. What causes VDR deactivation is mostly a state of chronic inflammation caused by the pathogens associated with dysbiosis or leaky gut
5. VDR deactivation lead to Increased 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin-D (calcitriol) as there is no consumption and no breakdown
6. Sunshine, dietry and Ingested Vitamin D are preparing the precursors of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin-D (calcitriol)in the presence of good liver and kidney function
7. 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin-D (calcitriol) is the active form which act as the primary ligand for VDR
8. Olmesartan, a VDR agonist, restores innate immune activity, allows (slow) recovery from advanced disease.
9. Treatment on the long term should be directed to reactivation of VDR by the Natural Ways that Increase Calcitrol and Vitamin D Receptor Gene Expression
10. restoring a balanced Microbiota and overcoming the leaky gut play a major rule in VDR reactivation
Endocrine Disruption and Immune DysfunctionDES Daughter
by the Collaborative on Health and the Environment
On this first in a series of calls on endocrine disrupting chemicals, Dr. Rodney Dietert discussed how the immune system is a target for endocrine disrupting chemicals, particularly during development. Numerous relatively ‘hidden’ effects can ensue from a single risk factor and emerge over a lifetime. He also discussed how current safety testing fails to appropriately assess misregulated inflammation as the greatest immune based health risk.
Sources: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/13389
Microbiota, Vitamin D Receptor and Autoimmuityfathi neana
1. Vitamins are substances which usually cannot be made by the body itself.
2. The body synthesizes vitamin D from 7-dehydro-cholesterol. Vitamin D is not a vitamin, it is a Gene-Transcriptional-Activator, a paracrine steroid hormone. It is the primary ligand which activate VDR
3. Deactivated VDR causes down regulation of the innate immunity. The burden on adaptive immunity increases creating a state of chronic inflammation with possible maladaptation and autoimmunity
4. What causes VDR deactivation is mostly a state of chronic inflammation caused by the pathogens associated with dysbiosis or leaky gut
5. VDR deactivation lead to Increased 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin-D (calcitriol) as there is no consumption and no breakdown
6. Sunshine, dietry and Ingested Vitamin D are preparing the precursors of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin-D (calcitriol)in the presence of good liver and kidney function
7. 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin-D (calcitriol) is the active form which act as the primary ligand for VDR
8. Olmesartan, a VDR agonist, restores innate immune activity, allows (slow) recovery from advanced disease.
9. Treatment on the long term should be directed to reactivation of VDR by the Natural Ways that Increase Calcitrol and Vitamin D Receptor Gene Expression
10. restoring a balanced Microbiota and overcoming the leaky gut play a major rule in VDR reactivation
38 experts on bpa panel consensus statement. effects in animals and potential...ricguer
Un conjunto de 38 prestigiados científicos de todo el mundo alertan sobre el potencial nocivo y los impactos de exposición al Bisphenol A para la salud humana.
Describes Various aspects of pharmaceutical products affecting the environment.
Effects of Environmental pollution by Drugs on Aquatic systems and Humans.
Examples of drugs on various environmental effects are given.
Who this is for: Health professionals.
Description: Dr. Sheila Bushkin-Bedient will be speaking on the prenatal origins of disease and why we should be focusing on studying possible connections between unconventional natural gas extraction and diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
About the Speaker: Sheila Bushkin is a member of the Institute of Health and the Environment at the State University at Albany, and Concerned Health Professionals of New York. She has been a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York for 15 years. Her specific areas of interest involve environmental health issues, chronic diseases, health concerns of older adults, and CME for physicians.
Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are involved in deleterious/beneficial biological processes.
The present study sought to investigate the capacity of single and combinatorial herbal formulations of
Acanthus montanus, Emilia coccinea, Hibiscus rosasinensis, and Asystasia gangetica to act as superoxide
radicals (SOR), hydrogen peroxide (HP), nitric oxide radical (NOR), hydroxyl radical (HR), and 2,2-
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical antagonists using in vitro models. The herbal extracts were
single herbal formulations (SHfs), double herbal formulations (DHfs), triple herbal formulations (THfs),
and a quadruple herbal formulation (QHf). The phytochemical composition and radical scavenging capacity
index (SCI) of the herbal formulations were measured using standard methods. The flavonoids
were the most abundant phytochemicals present in the herbal extracts. The SCI50 defined the concentration
(mg/mL) of herbal formulation required to scavenge 50% of the investigated radicals. The SHfs,
DHfs, THfs, and QHf SCI50 against the radicals followed the order HR > SOR > DPPH radical > HP > NOR.
Although the various herbal formulations exhibited ambivalent antioxidant activities in terms of their
radical scavenging capabilities, a broad survey of the results of the present study showed that combinatorial
herbal formulations (DHfs, THfs, and QHf) appeared to exhibit lower radical scavenging capacities
than those of the SHfs in vitro.
E-screen assay validation: evaluation of estrogenic activity by MCF7 cell cul...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
— Natural and synthetic estrogens have been detected in rivers, lakes and estuaries in many parts of the world. Primary sources of these compounds are domestic and industrial effluents, which are not deleted after the water treatment. Estrogen has been the endocrine disruptor most researched to be very active biologically and be the etiologic agent of diverse types of cancer and other conditions such as endometriosis, precocious puberty, feminization, masculinization, sterility. In this context, we use water of 36 natural reservoirs or dams, in a bioassay to characterize their estrogenicity in culture of MCF7 cells and obtained high concentration of estrogen in samples taken in Ibiúna and Equestrian Santo Amaro / SP. However, certain concentration in our samples for most water samples from different regions was very close to the limit of quantification by bioassay and estrogen was in fmol. It has been shown that e-screen assay with MCF7 cells is a sensitive and stable tool for quantitative analysis of estrogenicity of water and can easily be developed and implemented for routine for estrogen quantification also in animal food and man, aqueous and plastics etc. Keywords— endocrine disrupters, estrogen, breast cancer cells, (MCF7) bioassay: E-screen assay
Cancer Chemoprevention by Flavonoids, Dietary Polyphenols and Terpenoids Dr Varruchi Sharma
The world population is aging, and cancer is always considered to be one of the major causes of death all over the globe. The advent of recent drug-targeted therapies undoubtedly is going to reduce the incidence of cancer over the coming years. However, the frequency of occurrence of such chronic diseases like cancer would continue to increase. Therefore, the search for a safer and cost-effective treatment is urgently needed. Phytochemicals found in plants, foods, vegetables, tea, etc. have emerged as proven therapeutic compounds modulating signaling pathways involved in cancer. We carried out a structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature using the keywords: cancer chemoprevention, flavonoids, dietary polyphenols, terpenoids, bioactive, microbiota. Quality of the retrieved papers and characteristic outcomes of the articles included in the study was assessed by employing standard tools and deductive qualitative content analysis methodology. The development of personalized supplements comprising particular phytochemicals has been the key, especially dealing with chronic inflammatory disorders like cancer. Better understanding at the molecular level explains the influence of phytochemicals on human health, which has been extensively covered through this review. Moreover, the wide collection of dietary polyphenols that has significant properties in reference to human health has been highlighted. Furthermore, the etiology of end products of such phytochemicals, especially on the modulation of gut microbiota and the host-microbial interactions thereof, need to be properly understood. The present study summarizes the chemoprevention and treatment of cancer using the bioactive components, including flavonoids, dietary polyphenols, and terpenoids. Likewise, the effect of dietary polyphenols on the human gut microbiota has been realized more recently. However, more research is needed in this field, especially focused on the communications, interlinks between the gut microbiota and polyphenols with the precise mechanism of action.
Detoxification of the major organ systems of the body is ever increasingly important. Environment, genetics, nutritional status and lifestyle all play interacting roles that can influence one's quality of life. Learn how to safely detoxify using real food and basic nutrients with the Detox 360 Program. This is an introduction for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or replace medical care.
Preconception Counseling - A Critical Window for Health Promotion v2zq
Preconception Counseling - A Critical Window for Health Promotion - Resources for Healthy Children www.scribd.com/doc/254613619 - For more information, Please see Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children www.scribd.com/doc/254613963 - Gardening with Volcanic Rock Dust www.scribd.com/doc/254613846 - Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech www.scribd.com/doc/254613765 - Free School Gardening Art Posters www.scribd.com/doc/254613694 - Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden www.scribd.com/doc/254609890 - Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success www.scribd.com/doc/254613619 - City Chickens for your Organic School Garden www.scribd.com/doc/254613553 - Huerto Ecológico, Tecnologías Sostenibles, Agricultura Organica www.scribd.com/doc/254613494 - Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide www.scribd.com/doc/254613410 - Free Organic Gardening Publications www.scribd.com/doc/254609890 ~ healthandenvironment.org
38 experts on bpa panel consensus statement. effects in animals and potential...ricguer
Un conjunto de 38 prestigiados científicos de todo el mundo alertan sobre el potencial nocivo y los impactos de exposición al Bisphenol A para la salud humana.
Describes Various aspects of pharmaceutical products affecting the environment.
Effects of Environmental pollution by Drugs on Aquatic systems and Humans.
Examples of drugs on various environmental effects are given.
Who this is for: Health professionals.
Description: Dr. Sheila Bushkin-Bedient will be speaking on the prenatal origins of disease and why we should be focusing on studying possible connections between unconventional natural gas extraction and diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
About the Speaker: Sheila Bushkin is a member of the Institute of Health and the Environment at the State University at Albany, and Concerned Health Professionals of New York. She has been a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York for 15 years. Her specific areas of interest involve environmental health issues, chronic diseases, health concerns of older adults, and CME for physicians.
Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are involved in deleterious/beneficial biological processes.
The present study sought to investigate the capacity of single and combinatorial herbal formulations of
Acanthus montanus, Emilia coccinea, Hibiscus rosasinensis, and Asystasia gangetica to act as superoxide
radicals (SOR), hydrogen peroxide (HP), nitric oxide radical (NOR), hydroxyl radical (HR), and 2,2-
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical antagonists using in vitro models. The herbal extracts were
single herbal formulations (SHfs), double herbal formulations (DHfs), triple herbal formulations (THfs),
and a quadruple herbal formulation (QHf). The phytochemical composition and radical scavenging capacity
index (SCI) of the herbal formulations were measured using standard methods. The flavonoids
were the most abundant phytochemicals present in the herbal extracts. The SCI50 defined the concentration
(mg/mL) of herbal formulation required to scavenge 50% of the investigated radicals. The SHfs,
DHfs, THfs, and QHf SCI50 against the radicals followed the order HR > SOR > DPPH radical > HP > NOR.
Although the various herbal formulations exhibited ambivalent antioxidant activities in terms of their
radical scavenging capabilities, a broad survey of the results of the present study showed that combinatorial
herbal formulations (DHfs, THfs, and QHf) appeared to exhibit lower radical scavenging capacities
than those of the SHfs in vitro.
E-screen assay validation: evaluation of estrogenic activity by MCF7 cell cul...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
— Natural and synthetic estrogens have been detected in rivers, lakes and estuaries in many parts of the world. Primary sources of these compounds are domestic and industrial effluents, which are not deleted after the water treatment. Estrogen has been the endocrine disruptor most researched to be very active biologically and be the etiologic agent of diverse types of cancer and other conditions such as endometriosis, precocious puberty, feminization, masculinization, sterility. In this context, we use water of 36 natural reservoirs or dams, in a bioassay to characterize their estrogenicity in culture of MCF7 cells and obtained high concentration of estrogen in samples taken in Ibiúna and Equestrian Santo Amaro / SP. However, certain concentration in our samples for most water samples from different regions was very close to the limit of quantification by bioassay and estrogen was in fmol. It has been shown that e-screen assay with MCF7 cells is a sensitive and stable tool for quantitative analysis of estrogenicity of water and can easily be developed and implemented for routine for estrogen quantification also in animal food and man, aqueous and plastics etc. Keywords— endocrine disrupters, estrogen, breast cancer cells, (MCF7) bioassay: E-screen assay
Cancer Chemoprevention by Flavonoids, Dietary Polyphenols and Terpenoids Dr Varruchi Sharma
The world population is aging, and cancer is always considered to be one of the major causes of death all over the globe. The advent of recent drug-targeted therapies undoubtedly is going to reduce the incidence of cancer over the coming years. However, the frequency of occurrence of such chronic diseases like cancer would continue to increase. Therefore, the search for a safer and cost-effective treatment is urgently needed. Phytochemicals found in plants, foods, vegetables, tea, etc. have emerged as proven therapeutic compounds modulating signaling pathways involved in cancer. We carried out a structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature using the keywords: cancer chemoprevention, flavonoids, dietary polyphenols, terpenoids, bioactive, microbiota. Quality of the retrieved papers and characteristic outcomes of the articles included in the study was assessed by employing standard tools and deductive qualitative content analysis methodology. The development of personalized supplements comprising particular phytochemicals has been the key, especially dealing with chronic inflammatory disorders like cancer. Better understanding at the molecular level explains the influence of phytochemicals on human health, which has been extensively covered through this review. Moreover, the wide collection of dietary polyphenols that has significant properties in reference to human health has been highlighted. Furthermore, the etiology of end products of such phytochemicals, especially on the modulation of gut microbiota and the host-microbial interactions thereof, need to be properly understood. The present study summarizes the chemoprevention and treatment of cancer using the bioactive components, including flavonoids, dietary polyphenols, and terpenoids. Likewise, the effect of dietary polyphenols on the human gut microbiota has been realized more recently. However, more research is needed in this field, especially focused on the communications, interlinks between the gut microbiota and polyphenols with the precise mechanism of action.
Detoxification of the major organ systems of the body is ever increasingly important. Environment, genetics, nutritional status and lifestyle all play interacting roles that can influence one's quality of life. Learn how to safely detoxify using real food and basic nutrients with the Detox 360 Program. This is an introduction for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or replace medical care.
Preconception Counseling - A Critical Window for Health Promotion v2zq
Preconception Counseling - A Critical Window for Health Promotion - Resources for Healthy Children www.scribd.com/doc/254613619 - For more information, Please see Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children www.scribd.com/doc/254613963 - Gardening with Volcanic Rock Dust www.scribd.com/doc/254613846 - Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech www.scribd.com/doc/254613765 - Free School Gardening Art Posters www.scribd.com/doc/254613694 - Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden www.scribd.com/doc/254609890 - Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success www.scribd.com/doc/254613619 - City Chickens for your Organic School Garden www.scribd.com/doc/254613553 - Huerto Ecológico, Tecnologías Sostenibles, Agricultura Organica www.scribd.com/doc/254613494 - Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide www.scribd.com/doc/254613410 - Free Organic Gardening Publications www.scribd.com/doc/254609890 ~ healthandenvironment.org
1. The Effects of Organophosphate Insecticides on Human Development
Carly Gehler1, Emily Roderick1, Kathryn Egleston1
1. Colorado State University: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition | Fall 2015
1. Revisions to the Worker Protection Standard. EPA United Stated Environmental Protection Agency. September 28, 2015.
http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/revisions-worker-protection-standard. Accessed October 6, 2015.
2. Pesticide Illness & Injury Surveillance. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. August 14, 2015.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pesticides/. Accessed October 6, 2015.
3. Hung DZ, Yang HJ, Li YF, et al. The Long-Term Effects of Organophosphates Poisoning as a Risk Factor of CVDs: A Nationwide Population-Based
Cohort Study. PLOS ONE. 2015; 10(9): 1-15. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0137632.
4. Rao P. Reproductive Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure: Issues For Farmworkers Health Service Providers. Farmworker Justice. 2008.
https://www.farmworkerjustice.org/sites/default/files/documents/Reproductibe%20Health%20Effects%20of%20Pesticide%20Exposure%20-
%20Paper.pdf. Accessed November 10, 2015.
5. Gupta R. Toxicology of Organophosphate & Carbamate Compounds. San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press; 2006.
6. Pocciotto M, Higley M, Mineur Y. Acetylcholinesterase as a neuromodulator: cholinergic signaling shapes nervous system function and behavior.
Neuron. 2012; 76: 116-129.
7. Fukuto T. Mechanism of Action of Organophosphorus and Carbamate Insecticides. Environ Health Perspect. 1990; 87: 245-254.
8. Androutsopoulos VP, Hernandez AF, Liesivuori J, et al. A mechanistic overview of health associated effects of low levels of organochlorine and
organophosphorous pesticides. Toxicology. 2013; (307) 89-94. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2012.09.011
9. Burke C. Preconception Nutrition Part I. Power Point. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University Food Science and Human Nutrition Program; 2015.
10. Dyro FM. Organophosphates: Background. Medscape Web site. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1175139-overview Updated May 21, 2014.
Accessed October 13, 2015.
11. Delaplane KS. Pesticide Usage in the United States: History, Benefits, Risks, and Trends. The University of Georgia Web site.
ipm.ncsu.edu/safety/factsheets/pestuse.pdf Published March 1996. Accessed October 13, 2015.
12.Kaur S, Singh S, Chahal K, Prakash A. Potential pharmacological strategies for the improved treatment of organophosphate-induced neurotoxicity.
Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2014; 92(11): 893-911. doi:10.1139/cjpp-2014-0113
13. Lasram M. A review on the molecular mechanisms involved in insulin resistance induced by organophosphate pesticides. Toxicology. 2014; (322) 1-
13. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2014.04.009
14.Singh R, Sharad S, Kapur S. Free radicals and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases: relevance of dietary antioxidants. JIACM. 2004; 5(3):
218-225.
15.Lu J, Lin P, Yao Q, Chen C. Chemical and molecular mechanisms of antioxidants: experimental approaches and model systems. J Cell Mol Med.
2010; 14(4): 840-860. doi: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2009.00897.x
16.EPA may ban common pesticide used on fruits and vegetables. FOX News Web site. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/10/30/epa-may-ban-
common-pesticide-used-on-fruits-and-vegetables/ Published October 30, 2015. Accessed November 2, 2015.
References
Organophosphate (OP) insecticide use in America recently gained attention due
to its negative health impacts. Our research evaluates the effects of OP insecticides
on the physiological health of farmworkers because of their increased exposure.
OPs block the enzyme acetylcholinesterase and cause oxidative stress on the body.
The consequential build-up of acetylcholine contributes to reduced fertility, altered
glucose metabolism, and cognitive decline. We recommend that it may be helpful
for farmworkers to increase antioxidant sources in their diet to counter the effects of
oxidative stress caused by OP poisoning.
Abstract
Introduction
The enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) controls the extensive hydrolysis
(breakdown) of acetylcholine.5 Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that affects neurons
throughout the body.6 Organophosphates (OPs) act as latent or direct inhibitors of
AChE.7 Latent inhibitors require activation in the body whereas direct inhibitors enter
the body activated.7 When an OP contacts AChE, the phosphorous ester group of the
OP covalently modifies the enzyme through phosphorylation. The phosphorylation
deactivates AChE and prevents it from hydrolyzing acetylcholine.7 Depending on the
group attached to the phosphate, this phosphorylation is irreversible.7 OP poisoning
occurs when concentrations of OPs in the system phosphorylate additional AChE
enzymes. Ultimately, the inhibition of AChE leads to an accumulation of acetylcholine
and contributes to reduced fertility, altered glucose metabolism, and cognitive decline.8
Physiological Aspects
Oxidative stress caused by organophosphate (OP) poisoning leads to cellular
damage of reproductive gametes, pancreatic beta cells, and neurons.8,9,13 Lipid-
soluble vitamins A and E reduce oxidative stress in cellular membranes by
neutralizing the unpaired electrons in reactive oxygen species (ROS).14,15 This
mechanism implies that vitamin A and E intake may be beneficial in reducing
cellular oxidative stress in farmworkers.
Antioxidants
In October of 2015, the EPA proposed further bans on organophosphate (OP)
use in agriculture.16 These additional precautionary measures strengthen OP
poisoning as a public health issue. The scientific literature suggests that increased
exposure to OPs may reduce fertility, alter glucose metabolism, and attribute to
cognitive decline.8,9,13 OPs contribute to oxidative stress in the body and we
recommend to those with increased exposure, such as farmworkers, consume
antioxidants as a preventative measure.12 In addition, nutrition professionals need
to be aware of this issue and understand the impact of OPs on the health of
farmworkers.
Conclusions
Recently, the EPA developed stricter workers’ protection guidelines for
farmworkers using organophosphate (OP) insecticides.1 The EPA estimates that
10,000-20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide poisonings occur each year among
the two million American farmworkers.2 Farmworkers have an increased risk for
developing diabetes, infertility, and brain damage due to prolonged exposure to OP
insecticides.3,4 Health professionals need to understand the mechanism behind the
effect of OP insecticides on human development to properly diagnose and treat
patients.
• To describe the mechanism of organophosphate poisoning
• To educate health professionals about consequences of organophosphate
poisoning on human development
• To provide nutrition recommendations for prevention through antioxidants
Objectives
Outcome Mechanism/Physiology
Reduced
fertility
• Inhibition of AChE in the hypothalamus causes inconsistent release
of sex hormones (such as GnRH, FSH, and LH), thereby creating an
imbalance that can lead to infertility.8,9
• Oxidative stress from high levels of OPs causes DNA damage to
both sperm and eggs which decreases quality.9
Altered glucose
metabolism
• Increased acetylcholine leads to pancreatic beta cells with reduced
glucose sensitivity which contributes to insulin resistance seen in
chronic OP exposure.13
• Damaged beta cells produce insufficient insulin and contribute to the
development of diabetes.8
• The induction of oxidative stress by OPs on beta cells alters glucose
metabolism.8
Cognitive
decline
• From OP-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction,
dopamine released at toxic levels can result in the development of
Parkinson’s disease.8
• Damage from cholinergic neuronal dysfunction and excitotoxicity can
cause memory, cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor skill
damage.8
History reveals that pest control is not a new idea. Farmers in ancient Rome
used natural pesticides such as salt and sulfur to control unwanted weeds and
insects to thereby increase yields.11 After the Roman Empire and throughout the
1800s, laboratory-synthesized pesticides became an effective way to control pests.
Unfortunately, due to similarities in physiology between insects and humans, most
of the effective chemicals also compromised human health.
Unwanted side effects remained inevitable until, in the early 1900s, a
breakthrough emerged with the discovery of organophosphates (OPs). The term
“organophosphates” encompasses a broad group of insecticides that acts on an
enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). At certain doses, OP-induced inhibition
of acetylcholinesterase affects insects lethally. Use of OPs on crops expanded
across America in the late 1900s because they effectively controlled pests with
seemingly no harmful side effects to humans.
However, some scientists questioned the safety of OPs due to their original use
as biological weapons. During World War II, Germans used OPs on humans
because they inhibited the same enzyme, AChE, in humans.10 The lethal dose of
OP is considerably higher in humans than in insects, therefore OP use on crops
continued. Nonetheless, evidence showing the harmful effects of lower exposure to
OPs solidifies daily. In the early 2000s, the EPA began regulating use of OPs.10 The
future use of OPs in agriculture is being reevaluated.
Organophosphates
We would like to thank Ashley Colpaart MS RDN for her professional assistance
and guidance.
Acknowledgement
Created by Emily Roderick
Created by Emily Roderick