Detoxing agent

In addition, they have potential applications as an additive in soils, for heavy metal adsorption [24] and as carrier in pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Based on such adsorbing characteristics, zeolites have also been effective as additive in animal feeds to act as a detoxing agent, e.g., Clinoptilolite. Zeolites exhibit possibilities of applications in animal sheds for adsorbing hydrogen sulphides and subsequent odour control in the surrounding environment. 

Hydroxy-sodalite, Sodalite, Na-X and Philipsite are also established for uptake of Ni, Cd, Cu, Cs, Pb, Hg and Sr cations from contaminated water, soil and gas as adsorbent. In short, zeolites can act as detoxing agent to decontaminate the environment and hence facilitate its conservation. 

Although reduction of quinones is usually a detoxication pathway, there are examples such as mitomycin C in which the hydroquinone is more toxic than the quinone as shown in Figure 5.12 and this may increase the susceptibility of cancers that express high levels of NQO. In this case, the reduction of the quinone leads to the loss of methanol, which is the first step in the activation of this anticancer agent (20). 

Because selective detoxication by a crop plant would be important if allelochemlcals are to be useful as natural herbicides, the first objective of these studies was to determine if the cereal oats can metabolize exogenously applied salicylic acid, a known allelopathio agent. The second objective was to identify and partially purify any enzyme responsible for such metabolism of salicylic acid in oat roots. 

Petrosian EA, Zelenov VI, Snkhinin AA (2003) Comparative estimation of detoxication properties of haemosorbents after their modification with various agents. Efferent Therapy 4 27-30... 

Because of such factors, differences in enzyme activity or level or availability of cofactors and protective agents will change the balance between toxication and detoxication within an organism between organs or tissues. This leads to particular organs being targets for toxicity, while others are spared. Similarly, some species or individuals will be more or less susceptible or even resistant because of similar variation. 

Detoxication of Metals. Pectins or pectin derivatives have been proposed as antidotes for heavy metal poisoning for nearly 200 years. Kertesz (9) has reviewed the early work in this area. Pectin complexes lead so strongly as to quantitatively remove it from solution. Absorption 6f lead, arsenic, and selenium by several animal species has been reduced by pectin- or apple-containing diets. Use of pectin as a prophylactic agent in lead poisoning continues to be of interest. Bondarev (88) recently reported an increase in excretion and a decrease in bone accumulation of lead when rats fed 6 mg/day of lead also received 72-432 mg/day of low ester pectin. Paskins-Hurlburt et al. (89) achieved an 87% decrease in lead absorption by pectate fed rats. These studies bear out the early observations of Fellenburg (see 9, p. 572), who concluded that pectin of decreased ester content would have an enhanced ability to complex metals. 

Results of the above-outlined research into physico-chemical and medico-biological properties of BAS, conducted at the Institute of Surface Chemistry of the NAS of Ukraine in collaboration with Vinnitsa State Medical University, named after N.I. Pirogov, and other medical institutions of Ukraine and Russia give reasons to infer that Silics is an active medicinal substance which on its own can function as a therapeutic agent. Sorptive detoxication with the aid of the bioactive silica brings about a profound effect in the case of acute intestinal infections, diarrheas of various origins, viral hepatitis, as well as for local treatment for pyoinflammatory diseases and purulent wounds. 

FMO levels may, however, vary with nutrition, diurnal rhythms, gender, pregnancy, and corticosteroids, although the effects appear to be both species- and tissue-dependent. Such alterations in the relative contributions of the two enzyme systems may assume toxicological importance when the products from the two enzymes differ, particularly when one metabolite is more toxic than the others. Thus prior exposure of animals to environmental agents can have a significant effect on activation/detoxication pathways and the toxicity of other xenobiotics. 

What of its potential toxicity to humans There have been no documented deaths and no established cases of illness in which DDT is the causal agent but it is stfil detectable in the environment and in some food. Because the levels of such substances in food are monitored and we have efficient detoxication systems, and because DDT tends to be stored in fat, it is likely that the potential toxicity is minimal. 

CHAPTER 67 Raraoxonase (PON1) and Detoxication of Nerve Agents... 

---