Encephalopathy After Glufosinate Ammonium Intoxication

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 32(2); 2014 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2014;32(2): 113-116.

글루포시네이트암모늄(glufosinate ammonium, BASTA ? ) 중독 후 발생한 뇌병증

김재환, 유인우 김용덕 나상준 이기욱 윤보라

건양대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실

Encephalopathy After Glufosinate Ammonium Intoxication

Jae-Hwan Kim

Department of Neurology, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea

Abstract

Glufosinate ammonium is the active ingredient in broad-spectrum contact herbicides such as BASTA ? that inhibits the activity of glutamine synthetase, which is necessary for the production of the amino acid glutamine and for ammonia detoxification. Complications of glufosinate ammonium intoxication include gastrointestinal symptoms, loss of consciousness, convulsions, memory impairment, respiratory failure, and cardiovascular instability. We report herein a case of encephalopathy and reversible signal changes in the splenium of the corpus callosum, the bilateral corticospinal tracts, the hippocampi, and the cerebellar peduncles as seen in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images following BASTA ? intoxication. Key Words: Glufosinate ammonium, Encephalopathy, Intoxication