Treatment of Chlordecone (Kepone) Toxicity with Cholestyramine
Abstract
Industrial workers exposed to the organochlorine pesticide, chlordecone (Kepone), had signs of toxicity in several organs. The extent of toxicity was proportional to the levels of this chemical in the tissues. In 22 patients, chlordecone was eliminated slowly from blood (half time of 165 +/- 27 days--mean +/- S.E.M.) and fat (half time of 125 days, with a range of 97 to 177), chiefly in the stool. Output of chlordecone in bile was 10 to 20 times greater than in stool, suggesting that chlordecone is reabsorbed in the "ntestine. Cholestyramine, an anion-exchange resin that binds chlordecone, increased its fecal excretion by seven times. In a five-month trial, cholestyramine significantly accelerated elimination of chlordecone from blood, with a half life of 80 +/- 4 days (S.E.M.) (P less than 0.005) and fat (half life of 64 days, with a range of 52 to 85) (P less than 0.05). Cholestyramine offers a practical means for detoxification of persons exposed to chlordecone and possibly to other lipophilic toxins.
Key Biomarkers
Symptom Clusters
Cited By (7)
- Chronic biotoxin-associated illness: Multiple-system symptoms, a vision deficit, and effective treatmentNeurotoxicology and Teratology · 2005
- Sick building syndrome (SBS) and exposure to water-damaged buildings: Time series study, clinical trial and mechanismsNeurotoxicology and Teratology · 2006
- A time-series study of sick building syndrome: chronic, biotoxin-associated illness from exposure to water-damaged buildingsNeurotoxicology and Teratology · 2005
- Possible estuary-associated syndrome: symptoms, vision, and treatment.Environmental Health Perspectives · 2001
- PHARMACOKINETICS OF HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONSAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 1979
- Persistent Organic Pollutants and Neurological Disorders: From Exposure to Preventive InterventionsEmerging contaminants and associated treatment technologies · 2021
- A Review of the Mechanism of Injury and Treatment Approaches for Illness Resulting from Exposure to Water‐Damaged Buildings, Mold, and Mycotoxins
Related Papers
- Synergistic interaction in simultaneous exposure to Streptomyces californicus and Stachybotrys chartarumEnvironmental Health Perspectives · 2004 · 14 shared tags
- Comparison of inflammatory and cytotoxic lung responses in mice after intratracheal exposure to spores of two different Stachybotrys chartarum strainsToxicological Sciences · 2004 · 14 shared tags
- Localization of Satratoxin-G in Stachybotrys chartarum Spores and Spore-Impacted Mouse Lung Using ImmunocytochemistryToxicologic Pathology · 2004 · 14 shared tags
- Correction to “Maitotoxin induces biphasic interleukin-1β secretion and membrane blebbing in murine macrophages”Mol Pharmacol · 2004 · 14 shared tags
- HUMAN VISUAL FUNCTION IN THE NORTH CAROLINA CLINICAL STUDYON POSSIBLE ESTUARY-ASSOCIATED SYNDROMEJournal of Toxicology and Environmental Health · 2001 · 14 shared tags
- Effectiveness of cholestyramine in the detoxification of zearalenone as determined in miceBulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology · 1995 ·