Organophosphate-based pesticides:
- Organophosphate-based pesticides, which are commonly used by farmers in India, are toxic to the nervous system and heart, and can cause cognitive dysfunction.
- When esters present in organophosphate-based pesticides enter the body they bind and inhibit an enzyme (acetylcholinesterase or AChE) critical for nerve and muscle function. This causes neurological disorders, suffocation, paralysis, and even death.
Recent development:
- A team led by Dr. Praveen Kumar Vemula from the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), Bengaluru, used a chemical reaction to convert the ester into acid by using a catalyst to make the pesticide inactive.
- Since the majority of organophosphate-based pesticides are absorbed through the skin the researchers made a gel for topical application.
- The active ingredients of the gel are attached to chitosan (a substance found in the hard-outer shells of crab and shrimp) so the gel does not penetrate the skin.
- Studies on rats found that the gel was effective in a range of temperatures (20°-40° C) and a single application could protect the animals for four continuous days of pesticide exposure.
- After Scientists conducted successful tests on rats, scientists now plan to undertake human trials soon.
