Dr Ali Muhammad Soomro, Assistant Professor Pharmacology, University of Sindh Jamshoro said that omnipresent insecticides in home for vector protection and in agriculture sector for food and fiber is too beneficial if used appropriately. Otherwise these are real poisons which can affect animal and human health.
Hundreds of such chemical compounded formulated and branded by many manufacturers are sold and used indiscriminately in Pakistan along with rest of the world. As per nature and their mode of action these chemicals are highly toxic, therefore examined from time to time and in late nineties, classified by World Health Organisation (WHO) in four categories which include; extremely hazardous (class Ia), Highly hazardous (class Ib), moderately hazardous (class II) and (slightly hazardous (class III).
Each category further investigated by many reputable international organisations like, FQPA, ICS, EPA and WHO, and finally a good number of such insecticides were declared either banned or restricted for their use.
It is observed that insecticide uses at home in our country is also at large, inclusive banned and restricted use chemical compounds, which are freely available in formulations as coils, mats, aerosols and wicks, and are used almost daily.
On contrary population is mostly unaware of their toxic nature. Though, reports are plenty about their hazardous effects on major organs/systems of the body like liver, kidney and nervous system. In this context a study on insecticide toxicity was conducted by pharmacology department University of Sindh, which indicated the kidney and liver health problems in the agriculture pesticide spray-workers and was similar in the population of the urban areas who commonly use vector protecting formulations.
The increasing rate of morbidity with specific reference to liver and kidney, and mortality ratio among them at significant level, was considered and a surrogated study was designed to explore the reason and extent of insecticide effects on these major organs.
Cypermethrin and Monocrotophos commonly available insecticides in agriculture and household insecticide formulations were studied histological in rabbits.