An Overview of Paraquat Poisoning: A Review

Poisoning by pesticides is the major public health problem in low-income and middle-income countries, and it is responsible for almost 20% of global suicides in the last decade. Paraquat (PQ) is a toxic bipyridyl compound commonly used in agriculture and it has potential ill-effects with high fatality if ingested even in very small amounts. The mode of poisoning is usually suicidal or accidental. Paraquat poisoning is still a nuisance faced in the rural and semiurban areas, attributable to wide availability and easy access to the poison as well lack of knowledge among the common people regarding its life-threatening effects. Paraquat is partially absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and the toxic effects are mainly mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing cell damage. It acts as a corrosive and erodes the gastrointestinal tract but majority of deaths occur due to acute lung injury (ALI). Renal failure and consequent multiorgan dysfunction are also common. The mainstay of management is supportive with paucity of human data on role of antioxidants and immunosuppressives. This review gives a comprehensive outlook on PQ poisoning, the probable mechanisms, available treatment options, and plausible recommendations while managing PQ toxicity.