• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.279-288
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• 1995

To apply the serum xanthine oxidase (XO) determining for the index of the toluene intoxication, the serum XO activity was compared with the other parameters, the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), 5'-nucleotidase(5'-NT), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), guanase(GDA) and $\gamma$-gIutamyl transpeptidase(T-GTP). Concomitantly, the cause of increased level of serum XO was clarified in the present experimental conditions. Although the other serum enzyme activities, ALT, AST, 5'-NT, ALP, GDA and $\gamma$-GTP were respectively not found to be different between control group and toluene-treated group, the serum XO activity in toluene-treated group showed the higher levels than that in the control group. These suggested that the determination of serum XO activity could be used for monitoring the intoxication of toluene. On the other hand, the activities of XO both in the serum and liver were higher in toluene-treated or benzaldehyde-treated rats than those in each control group. In the pooled liver XO from each group, toluene-treated or benzaldehyde-treated group showed the higher $V_{max}$ value than the control group, whereas no changes were observed in liver XO activities between the control liver specimen and that preincubated with bertzaldehyde in vitro. The present results indicate that the increased level of XO in toluene-treated rats is due to the result of enzyme protein induction in liver cell by the benzaldehyde metabolized from toluene. All the more, the benzaldehyde may be acted as a substrate for XO, since the benzaldehyde induced the increased activity of both liver and serum XO, and no changes were found in purine catabolite, uric acid in serum or urine and liver purine catabolizing enzymes, adenosine deaminase, GDA, uricuse except XO in toluene-treated rats.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.99-102
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• 2001

Toluene is mainly metabolized in liver by oxidative pathway. Oxigen free radicals occur through the process of toluene metabolism Therefore it causes tissue and cell min by the oxygen free radicals from the metabolism of toluene. Melatonin acts as a highly efficient free radical scavenger that protects cells from damage by oxygen free radicals. To test this hypothesis, toluene hepatotoxicity was induced by an abdominal injection of toluene. To see if the melatonin protects the rat's liver, melatonin was administrated orally, at the time of each toluene injection. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanin aminotransferase(ALT), latic dehydrogenase(LDH) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) levels in serum were measured to estimate hepatic function. Malondialdehyde(MDA), which gives an indirect index of oxidative injury was also measured. Hippuric acid is the last metabolic Production of toluene was measured by HPLC. There were significantly higher in AST, ALT, LDH, MDA and hippuric acid in toluene group, but there were no significant difference in melatonin group except ALT and hippuric acid. There was significantly lower in ALP level in toluene group, but there was no significant difference melatonin group, suggesting a significant hepatotoxicity due to oxygen free radicals through the process of toluene metabolism Melatonin treatment significantly protected hepatic function and free radical-mediated injury in the liver against toluene-induced changes. Accordingly, this study shows that melatonin is helpful in protecting liver injury by acute toluene intoxication.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-35
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• 2015

A 24 year-old man attempted suicide by injection of 1 cc of thinner into his left antecubital vein; 3 hours later, he visited our emergency room because of left chest pain. We suspected a chemical pneumonitis based on the abnormal findings of his chest X-ray and computed tomography. On the 3rd day after admission, a cellulitis also occurred at the injection area. His symptoms were relieved after supportive care for 2 weeks. There is significant experience with intoxication of thinner inhalation, whereas intoxication of intravenous thinner is rare.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.577-582
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• 1999

The blood toluene concentration was determined by using the GC/MSD with HS-SPME technique in postmortem blood, quantitatively. Butane gases was analyzed by using the GC/FID with HS technique in postmortem blood, qualitatively. Seventy five cases of dead associated with inhalation of glue or butane gases happened in Korea for the last 3 years (1996-1998). In 27 cases of deah due to glue sniffing, nine persons died as a result of a fall while intoxication and their blood tolucne concentration was fairly high in the range of $1.3{\sim}21.6{\mu}g/mL$. In case of death due to butane sniffing, fifty four persons died of acute butane gases inhalation or suffocation, and 6 persons died of butane gases as well as glue inhalation.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.280.2-281
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• 2002

This presentation reports the trends of the drug abuses(DA) and the mortalities related to drug-toxicants(MDT) in the Central area of Korea in 2001. We surveyed the DA cases and MDT. which were requested to analyze the drug-toxicants in the Central district office of National Institute of Scientific Investigation. he detected drugs on DA cases were methamphetamine. marihuana. opiates. inhalants(toluene. butane. ropane). dextromethorphane. carisoprodol. benzodiazepines, nalbuphine. fenfluamine. and iscellaneous in order of cases. Men are more liable to drug abuses than women. and the most common age group was 30s. Surveys of MDT shows that the defected toxicants are paraquat(sedative). methomy(insecticide). dicholrvos (insecticide). benxodiaxeqines(anxiolytic), and miscellaneous in order do cases. Men's intoxications by the drug-toxicants are more occured than woman's And most common intoxicated age group was 40s. These trends of the DA cases and the MDT in Central Area fo Korea. can help the forensic toxicologists and government to plan the prevention policy of the DA cases and MDT as well as its future estimation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.257-267
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• 2012

Occupational neurotoxic diseases have become increasingly common in Taiwan due to industrialization. Over the past 40 years, Taiwan has transformed from an agricultural society to an industrial society. The most common neurotoxic diseases also changed from organophosphate poisoning to heavy metal intoxication, and then to organic solvent and semiconductor agent poisoning. The nervous system is particularly vulnerable to toxic agents because of its high metabolic rate. Neurological manifestations may be transient or permanent, and may range from cognitive dysfunction, cerebellar ataxia, Parkinsonism, sensorimotor neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction to neuromuscular junction disorders. This study attempts to provide a review of the major outbreaks of occupational neurotoxins from 1968 to 2012. A total of 16 occupational neurotoxins, including organophosphates, toxic gases, heavy metals, organic solvents, and other toxic chemicals, were reviewed. Peer-reviewed articles related to the electrophysiology, neuroimaging, treatment and long-term follow up of these neurotoxic diseases were also obtained. The heavy metals involved consisted of lead, manganese, organic tin, mercury, arsenic, and thallium. The organic solvents included n-hexane, toluene, mixed solvents and carbon disulfide. Toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide were also included, along with toxic chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, organophosphates, and dimethylamine borane. In addition we attempted to correlate these events to the timeline of industrial development in Taiwan. By researching this topic, the hope is that it may help other developing countries to improve industrial hygiene and promote occupational safety and health care during the process of industrialization.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.78-86
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand what kinds of chemical substances have been used annually and to investigate incidents that occurred due to chemical hazard release and to analyze statistically clinically chemical injury patients who visited one regional emergency medical center in Gumi city with documented references review. Methods: Annual chemical waste emission quantity (Kg/Year) (Cwep) was reproduced using national web site data governed by the Ministry of Environment and 5 years (from 1 .Jan. 2010 to 31. Dec. 2014) of medical records of chemical injury patients who visited our emergency department were reviewed retrospectively. By applying exclusion criteria, 446 patients of 460 patients were selected. Results: Dichloromethane, Toluene, Trichloroethylene, and Xylene were always included within Top 5 of Cweq. Six cases of chemical incidents were reported and in 3 of 6 cases involving Hydrogen fluoride were included during the study period. Male gender and twenties were the most prevalent group. Injury evoking chemicals were Hydrogen fluoride, unknown, complex chemicals (over 2 substances) in sequence. The most frequent site of wounds and injuries was the respiratory tract. Gas among status, intoxication among diagnosis, and discharge among disposition was most numerous in each group. Conclusion: There have been no uniform clinical protocols for chemical wounds and injuries due to various kinds of chemicophysical properties and ignorance of antidotes. Therefore conduct of a multicenter cohort study and experiments for ruling out chemicals according to chemicophysical priority as well as development of antidotes and clinical protocols for chemical injury patients is needed.