Warning: ecopathology

Pigmentation process disturbance, skin rash and acne that are difficult to correct, alopecia, worsening of health, low efficiency and finally severe somatic diseases can be signs of xerogenous intoxication caused by abnormal ecological situation and environmental pollution.

Our beautiful planet is gradually becoming a scrap heap because of human technocratic activities and consequences of this process adversely affect not only nature state. Negative factors of distorted environment strongly affect human health. In this way nature “returns” to man the fruits of his activity.

Alien and toxic

Adverse environmental factors that affect man are mainly biological (bacteria, viruses, etc.), physical (vibration, noise, radiation) and chemical agents. Some of the latter are xenobiotics (from Greek word “xenos” – alien) – chemical compounds synthesized by man that have strong toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effect. Today about 10,000,000 chemical compounds are known and 1000 of them are highly toxic.

All xenobiotics can be classified by their degree of danger into four classes:

Class 1 includes cadmium, mercury, lead and their compounds, dioxins, polycyclic chlorinated benzene hydrocarbons, toxic radicals of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen.

Class 2 contains arsenic, strontium, zinc, phenol, chlorine, phosgene, hydrogen sulfide and carbon bisulfide, cyanides.

Among the members of third class are acetic acid and some other organic acids, alcohols (methyl, butyl, propyl), selenium in high doses, tobacco, ethylene, dust.

Fourth class includes moderately or low toxic substances: ammonia, naphthalene, ethyl alcohol, petrol, carbon monoxide, butane, nitrates.

On the cell level

Despite the diversity of xenobiotics, mechanism of their effect on the cell level is identical. First of all they have mutagenous or genotoxic influence that causes mutations of both gametal and body cells in human organism that lead to heritable or unheritable somatic diseases. However if mutations of body cells develop during embryonic period then malformation may occur.

Fermentopathic effect of xenobiotics extends on vitally important ferments of tissue respiration, bioenergetics, detoxification and antioxidant protection, damage of which leads to pathologic reactions.

At the heart of membranopathologic effect is damage of membranous receptors of neuromediators, hormones, interleukins and other signal molecules of cell-cell interaction, structural failure of membranes of cells, mitochondrions and lysosomes. As a result destruction of lipids of cell membranes is formed that leads to release of inflammatory and allergic mediators (prostaglandins, leukotrienes and others) and development of pseudoallergic reactions (liberatory allergy).

At metabolic disorders xenobiotics are bound to cell receptors, mediators, hormones and act as antivitamins or pseudohormones, which eventually leads to decrease of protein and porphyrin synthesis, derangement of oxidation-reduction processes and metabolism of fatty and amino acids. Carcinogenic effect is also possible.

All influence mechanisms listed above lead to health disorder and forming of certain clinical presentation.

These may be syndromes of ecological dysadaptation or general ecogenous (chemical) sensitization, low-dose chemical and radiation hypersensibility, chronic xerogenous intoxication and others.

Dysadaptation, sensitization, allergy

Syndrome of ecological dysadaptation, general chemical sensitization, or total allergy is developed because of combined action of several xenobiotics when concentration of each of them is too low to cause any changes in organism or specific symptoms.

It is often encountered among children an declares itself as high fatigability, hypodynamia, functional disorders of central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, bile-excreting and urinary tracts, decrease of interest in the outward things. Nonspecific reactions of respiratory tracts on various irritants (soot, dust, asbestos, sulfur oxide, formaldehyde), broncho-obstructive syndrome, recurring acute respiratory viral infections, bronchitis, pneumonia are typical for this disorder. Multiple allergy (hypersensitization for many xenobiotics) is also developed often.

One of dysadaptation declarations is also “syndrome of unhealthy buildings” that is developed when living quarters are polluted with formaldehyde, dioxin and its derivatives, for example if a wooden house was treated with polychlorinated substances for conservation. If toxic building materials are used for construction of stone buildings, heightened emission of radon-222 can be discovered in the building.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

It is characterized by constant sensation of fatigue and decrease of efficiency that appear against the background of normal state of health, last not less than 6 months and are not related to any other disease. Most often chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) starts from influenza-like condition, then unexplainable generalized muscular weakness, painfulness of some muscles, rapid exhaustion after physical activity are added quickly. Typical manifestations of CFS are sleep disorder, impairment of memory and intellect, depression, altered consciousness states. Emotional sphere is also involved often: rapid mood changes and sometimes panic conditions are observed. However not all scientists agree that CFS is caused by ecopathology. For example several English, Canadian and Japanese specialists think that the disease is related to virus of herpes or AIDS or with immune system disorder, particularly the system of natural killers.

Another versions of CFS origin are depression because its symptoms are observed among 50% of patients, or autonomic neuropathy.

Currently many drugs and methods of correction of CFS are offered: vitamins, minerals, detoxification procedures, immunocorrection drugs, antidepressants. However according to specialists this problem is still far from solution.

Specific low-dose hypersensibility

Initiating factor for this disease is a specific chemical compound. Usually all organs are affected but a leading component can be singled out in the multiple organs disorder complex: affection of central nervous system, skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, bile-excreting or urinary tracts. “Chemical” asthma (sulfite, thiocyanate), dioxin or contact dermatitis, chloracne, immune system pathology are often encountered. Influence of dioxins, methylmercury, lead, cadmium, granosan during early ontogenesis leads to development and maturation disorders of thymus gland and T-lymphocyte system; in mature immune system B-lymphocyte function and antibodies synthesis are affected, i.e. secondary immunodeficiency is developed.

Tartrazin (food dye) and metabisulfate (meat products preservative) poisoning leads to anaphylactoid reactions mediated by immunoglobulin E.

Aromatic amines, cyclic chlorinated compounds (hexachlorobenzene, biphenyls), hydrazine, beryllium can initiate development of autoimmune diseases of connective tissue, blood, liver, thyroid gland, and other organs. There are descriptions of “Spanish toxic oil” in the literature, when people poisoned by hydantoins contained in ersatz vegetable oil had affection of connective tissue and muscles; severe toxicosis effects were observed that led to further development of scleroderma, Raynaud and Sjögren's sicca syndromes (affection of kidneys and eyes). Chloroorganic pesticides, toxic radicals of oxygen, ozone, sulfites, benzoic acid can cause pseudoallergy at the heart of which lies direct release of mediators of allergic inflammation.

Chronic intoxication

At long-term exposure xenobiotics are accumulated in bone and adipose tissue and in brain. As their damaging action on the cell level is very high, pathological process can become irreversible even after elimination of these toxic agents. Examples of chronic xerogenous intoxication are dioxin syndrome (chloracne), skin pigmentation, immunodeficiency, or diffuse alopecia. Thallium poisoning (“Chernovtsy syndrome” – thallium blowout after the accident on the military plant in Chernovtsy) leads to bronchi affection up to broncho-obstructive syndrome, increase of central nervous system excitability is observed and hallucinations are possible.

What is ecochondria?

The fear of environmental dangers that is widely spread among people has led to appearance of neologism “ecochondria” by analogy with “hypochondria”. This is the condition when people perceive ecological danger as something extraordinary and worry about it oversensitively. Townspeople became afraid of being inconspicuously affected by harmful factors and just therefore they suffer from chronic diseases. Many speculations arise in the course of ceaseless discussions; publications often lack not only serious argumentations but also established facts.

Poisoning by methylmercury accumulated in seafood leads to central nervous system affection or Minamata disease that declares itself by spastic paralyses and mental deficiency.

Prolonged eating of foul vegetable oil can cause Yusho disease – skin affection by polychlorinated biphenyls (dermatitis).

Long cadmium intoxication leads to myopathy or itai-itai disease. So called lead encephalopathy, i.e. mental deficiency of children because of poisoning by school breakfasts that contained lead, was observed in the USA. Dystrophic changes of skin on legs because of arsenic intoxication is called “black feet syndrome” (obliterating endarteritis).

Acrodynia or Feer’s disease is neuroallergic reaction on mercury. Recently a new disease has appeared – “chemical AIDS” that declares itself as general depression of immune system because of effect of dioxins, heavy metals, toxic radicals, hydrazines.

Abnormality of clinical presentations, multiple organs affection, and resistance to treatment are typical for chronic diseases caused by ecological factors.

Take care of women!

It is proven that women that work in petrochemical industry more often have premature birth, pathological hemorrhage, asphyxia, cases of perinatal death and fetus abnormality.

Higher figures of births of children with central nervous system abnormalities were observed among women who were exposed to chemical compounds and pesticides during the first trimester of pregnancy or to radiation prior to it. Mothers who work in noisy conditions or live in industrial areas have newborn children with low weight. Contacts with low concentrations of chemical compounds lead to births of children with either too low or too high weight, with abnormalities of musculoskeletal system development and lactase deficiency. They slowly regain initial body weight after its physiological decrease and often have abnormalities of indices of peripheral blood.

“Dangerous” cities

Allergic diseases (atopic dermatitis in the first place), recurrent bronchitis and asiderotic anemia can serve as biological markers of man-caused pollution. Highest incidence of these disease is observed in Bratsk, Moscow and Moscow region. Toxic substances are formed during incomplete burning of natural gas, smoking, usage and storage of household chemical goods. Prolonged stay in such room increases risk of allergic and bronchopulmonary disease by a factor of three.

An example of this is an extreme case in villages of Fedoskino and Zhostovo that are famous for their traditional artistic craft where most craftsman produce their wares at home using lacquers and paints. Significant percentage of children in their families suffers from recurrent respiratory diseases. The higher is the content of heavy metals (lead, titanium, cadmium) in blood, the more pronounced is iron deficiency that leads to decrease of hemoglobin level in blood, formation of anemia and functional disorders of children. Kidneys as the main organ of excretion are the most prone to affection of lead, mercury, radioactive nuclides. In ecologically difficult regions various nephrological diseases are much more widely distributed: secondary pyelonephritis – by a factor of 2, dysmetabolic nephropathy – by a factor of 5, glomerulonephritis – by a factor of 5, interstitial nephritis – by a factor of 2, congenital malformations – by a factor of 5.

Diagnose, treat, foresee

Reliable assessment of human health is possible only if epidemiologic and laboratory clinical methods of examination are combined. First of all hygienic sanitary condition of a region, man-caused and natural climate conditions are analyzed. Assessment of medical and demographical rates (birth rate, number of infertile marriages, natimortality, infant and general mortality, life span, newborn sex ratio, etc.) is also necessary. Ecological trouble can be proved by high disease prevalence among population of a polluted region compared to that of control region that differs only in environmental condition and is similar by most other hygienic social, economic and ethnic parameters.  Xenobiotic affection can be confirmed by detection of concentration of assumed ecotoxins in human biosubstrates: blood, urine or hair.

Detoxification methods involving complexons, sorbents, and chelators are used for treatment of ecopathology. For example unithiol is effective in treatment of mercury poisoning; EDTA preparation forms complexons with various cations including calcium ions. Penicillamine (cuprenil, bianodin, artamin) is an antidote for heavy metals poisoning.

Nickel intoxication can be treated by disulfiram (esperal). Chelators like sodium alginate, clamin, spirulina, and protein-vitamin complexes are effective at heavy metals and radioactive nuclide poisonings.

They are used together with sorbents and membrane stabilizers: activated charcoal, smecta, polyphepan, copectat, enterodesum, and others. Vitamins A, E, C, selenium, xydiphone, dimephosphon.

Antiradiation food (products that contain stable iodine, potassium, calcium, iron) should be eaten for prophylaxis.

Stable iodine (competitor of radioactive iodine) is found in seafood, laminaria, spirulina. Stable potassium (competitor of radioactive cesium) is contained in salad plants (parsley, parsnip, lovage, celery, cabbage), fruits, berries. Stable calcium (competitor of radioactive strontium) is found in dairy products, cheeses, legumes, spinach, peanuts, sunflower seeds, salad plants. Stable iron (competitor of radioactive cobalt and plutonium) is contained in vegetables and fruits of red, orange and brown color, nettle, dandelions, willow-herb.

It is important to conduct epidemiologic researches in the region, monitor environmental condition and congenital diseases, eliminate contacts with harmful substances on workplaces, quit smoking, sanify niduses of chronic infections, treat latent forms of asiderotic anemia.

And first of all it is necessary to protect nature from human destructive activities and keep the Earth alive...