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GBlist: Re: Malathion/EMF (Cholinesterase Fwd)
This forwarded message appeared to initially occur on an EMF list--I
noticed the Malathion reference and thought everyone may wish to review
this:
......................................................................
Medical Alert
Lucinda Grant
Copyright 1997 by Lucinda Grant. All rights reserved.
[Footnote citations denoted by numbers at end of sentences.]
* Microwaves Imitate Pesticides *
Several electrically sensitive (ES) patients have mentioned
organophosphate pesticide poisoning as the specific event that lead to
their
chemical sensitivity (MCS) symptoms and subsequently to their ES.
Although
not all cases of ES report chemical exposure related to their ES onset,
the
MCS-related ES cases provide us
with an interesting link to radiation health effects by understanding
chemical effects.
a well known health effect of organophosphate
pesticides (Malathion, Parathion, etc.) is their ability to reduce the
function of the body's cholinesterase enzyme.1,2,3,4 Cholinesterase is an
important nervous system enzyme that prevents excessive accumulation of
acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.1,4,5 By
inhibiting cholinesterase and thus causing an excess of acetylcholine,
organophosphate pesticides overstimulate the nervous system, resulting in
death in cases of acute poisoning.2,3,5,6 These pesticides are
chemically
related to the even more deadly military nerve gases, such as Sarin,
which
use the same mechanism of action -- inhibiting cholinesterase.6
Symptoms of organophosphate poisoning include nausea, muscle
weakness,
memory and concentration problems, chest pain, breathing difficulty,
headache, blurred vision, increased sweating, etc.2,5,7 A recent ES
survey
reported the five most common electrically sensitive (ES) symptoms as
confusion/poor concentration
and/or memory loss, skin itch/rash/flushing/burning and/or tingling,
fatigue/weakness, headache, and chest pain/heart problems.8 Of these
five
symptoms, all except the skin problems match the symptoms of
cholinesterase
inhibition from organophosphate pesticide poisoning.
Soviet research of electromagnetic radiation health effects in the
1960's and 1970's found that nonthermal EMF exposures could produce
effects
similar to other toxins, such as chemicals and heavy metals.9 One
consistent
finding from the Soviet research was that when humans and animals were
exposed to radio wave or microwave frequency, this radiation would
inhibit
cholinesterase, producing an excess of acetylcholine -- the same effect
as
organophosphate pesticides.10,11,12 Some Soviet EMF researchers
specifically
pinpointed this enzyme effect as a significant factor leading to nervous
system disfunction.9,12,13
In a 1973 Soviet study, blood cholinesterase reduced to below 70%
of
pre-exposure levels in rats and rabbits exposed to the 30-300 MHz range
at
intensities of only .01mW/cm2 or .0019mW/cm2 for 4 months.13 According
to
the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH),
when
organophosphate pesticide exposure results in a decrease of blood
cholinesterase to less than 70% of the pre-exposure level, that exposure
is
considered unacceptable due to the health hazard.2 A 1994 Soviet study
by
the Russian Institute of Cell Biophysics produced an average drop in
brain
cholinesterase to 70% of pre-exposure levels in rats after one 60 minute
exposure to pulsed 880 MHz at 1.5mW/cm2.14 Also, a U.S. government study
conducted in cooperation with Soviet researchers in an effort to
replicate
Soviet findings discovered that microwaves of 2.45 GHz at .5mW/cm2
intensity
resulted in blood cholinesterase inhibition in rats exposed during three
months for seven hours daily.15 This study confirmed prior Soviet
accounts
of nonthermal microwave health effects.
The importance of this enzyme effect in producing ES-type symptoms
from
chemicals and from chronic, low-level EMF exposures leads to a mechanism
of
action for explaining many EMF-related health effects by using
conventional
medical and scientific knowledge of poisons. That radiation exposure at
nonthermal, nonionizing doses can produce the same effect as chemical
poisons
such as organophosphate pesticides provides sound evidence for a
radiation
poisoning effect. It also may explain why some MCS patients become ES
too
and why some ES also become MCS. The agents are different (chemical vs.
physical), but the effect is the same - inhibiting cholinesterase.
References
1. Considine, Douglas M., P.E., ed. Van Nostrand's Scientific
Encyclopedia.
7th ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1989, pp. 621-622.
2. Malkin, Robert, Dr. P.H. "NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Report:
HETA
93-1062-2558." (report) Atlanta GA: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention,
January, 1996.
3. Savage, Eldon P., Ph.D. "Chronic Neurological Sequelae of Acute
Organophos-
phate Pesticide Poisoning: A Case-Control Study." (report) Washington,
D.C.:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July, 1980.
4. Steenland, Kyle, Ph.D. et al. "Chronic neurologic sequelae to
organophosphate
pesticide poisoning." (report) Sacramento CA: California Dept. of
Pesticide
Regulation, August 12, 1994.
5. Durham, William F., Ph.D. et al. "Organic Phosphorus Poisoning and
Its
Therapy." Archives of Environmental Health. Vol. 5, 1962, pp. 21-47.
6. Dressler, David and Huntington Potter. Discovering Enzymes. New
York:
Scientific American Library, 1991.
7. Berkow, Robert M.D., ed. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.
Rahway NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 1992, p. 2699.
8. Grant, Lucinda. "Treatment Survey Results." Electrical Sensitivity
News, Vol. 2, No. 2, 1997, pp. 1-5.
9. Letavet, A.A. and Z.V. Gordon, eds. The Biological Action of
Ultrahigh
Frequencies. USSR: Academy of Medical Sciences, 1960. (English edition
by
the U.S. Joint Publications Research Service.)
10. Tolgskaya, M.S. and Z.V. Gordon. Pathological Effects of Radio
Waves.
New York: Consultants Bureau, 1973.
11. Gordon, Z.V. Biological Effect of Microwaves in Occupational
Hygiene.
Jerusalem: Israel Program for Scientific Translations, 1970.
12. Healer, Janet. "Review of Studies of People Occupationally Exposed
to
Radio-frequency Radiations." Biological Effects and Health Implications
of
Microwave Radiation. Ed. Stephen F. Cleary. Rockville MD: HEW, 1970,
pp.
90-97.
13. Dumanskij, J.D. and M.G. Sandala. "The Biological Action and
Hygienic
Significance of Electromagnetic Fields of Superhigh and Ultrahigh
Frequencies in
Densely Populated Areas." Biologic Effects and Health Hazards of
Microwave
Radiation. Warsaw: Polish Medical Publishers, 1974, pp. 289-293.
14. Kolomytkin, Oleg et al. "Response of Brain Receptor Systems to
Microwave
Energy Exposure." On the Nature of Electromagnetic Field Interactions
with
Biological Systems. Austin: R.G. Landes, 1994, pp. 195-206.
15. McRee, Donald I., Ph.D. "Review of Soviet/Eastern European Research
on
Health Aspects of Microwave Radiation." Bulletin of the New York Academy
of
Medicine, Vol. 55, No. 11, Dec. 1979, pp. 1133-1151"
* Soviet Documents Available *
Two Soviet documents which explore the technical facets of
radiation-related
illnesses are still available through the U.S. government office National
Technical
Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield VA 22161;
phone (703)
487-4660. These documents are in English and are suitable for medical
doctors
interested in exploring nonionizing, nonthermal radiation effects:
(1) Influence of Microwave Radiation on the Organism of Man and Animals,
edited by I.R. Petrov, (1970), Order #N7222073, price USA $51.50 plus
$4.00
ordering fee; Foreign: $90.50 plus $8.00 ordering fee, (2) Biological
Effects
of Radiofrequency
Electromagnetic Fields, Z.V. Gordon-editor, (1973), Order #JPRS 63321,
price
USA: $55.00 plus $4.00 ordering fee; Foreign: $97.00 plus $8.00 ordering
fee.
If you are ordering both books, include only one ordering fee.
....................................................
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