Feb., 1954J .EFFECT OF A. OIL ON MONKEYS : LAL li

Original Articles

effect of argemone oil on

MONKEYS

By S. B. LAL

Assistant Director oj Public Health (Nutrition), Bihar, Public Health Laboratories, Palno-4

1 An enquiry under the Bihar Board uj Medical Research)

a ^'|L aiK' Roy (1937) with human volunteers

rn' *

6 exPei"llen^a^ subjects reported that ad-

t lustration of argemone oil produced manifes- ? l0ns of epidemic dropsy. Pasricha, Lai and

Hi ner^ee (1940) reported that argemone oil was

or,01*]6 *0x*c to gumeapigs than mustard oil. The

biological studies of Lai and Hoy (1937) ported the view that argemone oil was the

nbl a^V? a^en^ and further support was avail-

e flom similar epidemiological studies in ai bj Lai (1951). Chakravarty and Cliou-

one^1 reported that of three monkeys

and i?n 1^C6 developed epidemic dropsy

Par Ayilen arSem?ne oil mixed with liquid

Hio

U n W aS giyen ora% J to another pure arge- ne oil was given parenterally and to the third

akrv^j111^11^ on shaved skin, these two

developed the disease.

tile ^ ^resen^ PaPer deals with the effects of

"ministration of argemone oil mixed with

^onke^ Var^ing Proportions to rhesus

Experimental b

^Pa-*"* argem?ne anc* mustard oils were

labor a,e^r Prepared at intervals in our

the a 01 ̂ a ^aPanese hand oil expeller from

tain 7rresP?ndinS Pure seeds. The oils so ob-

attibG ^Veie stored in the dark in clean, dry,

,C.?^0lirec^ g^ass-stoppered bottles. The

gran 71G^ ^le monkeys consisted of Bengal

last 1 ' ?Z'' C0Untly pIllm 9 oz.; in summer the

ttian ;V? Were reP^aced by cucumber, ripe

lan8oes and bananas.

leed" ^ monkeys was selected for the

stoJ118, triaIs- TIle oils were fed daily by a dC 1 ^ke. 1 o one of the monkeys pure ^one oil was given, to another pure mustard j

oil (control) and to the other six, a mixture of

argeinone and mustard oils in varying propor- tions. The results are given below. The ex-

periment lasted from February to November 1952.

Results

Monkey JSTo. i.?Female, weight 12 lbs.

healthy; 5 cc. of pure argeinone oil was given at 10 a.m. on 13th and 14th February, 1951.

After 24 hours of feeding listlessness, lack of

interest in surroundings, dull appetite were

noted. In another 24 hours the symptoms be- came acute, urine was suppressed, pupils dilated and the animal died at 12 a.m. on 16th Febru-

ary, 1951.

Postmortem appearance.?Weight 11.5 lbs.

Peritoneal cavity contained 10 cc. of straw-

coloured fluid. Mucus membrane of stomach

congested. Hemorrhagic points in the duode-

num. Wall of lower jejunum and ileum thinned

out, leaving only the peritoneal layer, lower

down necrotic areas and acute congestion. Small hemorrhagic area in the lower lobe of

right lung. 2 cc. of clear fluid in percardial sac. Uterus black, bladder empty. The rapid death of this animal was probably due to the

aspiration of oil into the lung where it pro- duced hemorrhagic necrosis.

The complete data regarding the other 0

monkeys are given in table 1 and the post- mortem findings arc given in table II.

The results were further analysed to assess

the actual period of appearance of signs and

symptoms and the quantity of pure argemone oil required for the same. These are given in table III below.

Discussion

Figures I to V demonstrate the normal

monkey and the effects of the administration of argemone oil. Explanation of the plates is

given at the end of the paper.

From table I above, it would appear that in

all the monkeys, beginning from the 3rd week of the administration of the mixture of the

argemone oil and mustard oil, the symptoms of loss in weight, lethargy, etc. began to appear irrespective of the concentration of the argemone oil, except in the case of monkey no. 5 in which these appeared much later.

72

THE

INDIAN

MEDICAL

GAZETTE

[Feb

.,

1954

Table I

Showing signs and symptoms and the period of their appearance in monkeys fed with arge-

mone oil mixed in mustard oil

Serial no. Body weight lbs. Type of oil, Dose per day. Manifestations. and sex. argemone plus

mustard. Date when oedema appeared. Remarks Initial Final 1?2 weeks. 3?12 weeks. 13?24 weeks

Face. Penis. Scrotum Legs.

1-A. 11 7 A+M 5 cc.-14.2.51 to No effect. Lack of interest, .. .. .. 27.5.51 .. Died on Male. 1 per cent 19.3.51-34. listlessness, weight 18.8.51

10 per cent. 10 CC.-20.3.51 to in 3rd week 8 lbs, 103 days. 185 days. 17.8.51-151 weightin 5th week

7 lbs anaemia, loss of appetite.

All signs & symptoms Died on 2. Male. 18 12 2 per cent 5 cc.-14.2.51 to Loss stools, loss Diarrhoea, lethargy, 6.4. 51. 20.4.51. 20.4.51. 20.4.51. markedly aggravated 25.10.51

19.3.51-34 of appetite and oedema of eyelids, on 11. 9.51 almost 24 days. 25 per cent 10 cc.-20-3.51 to weight loss. rise in temp. Spongi- on dying, feeding

10.9.51-175 ness and bleeding of 52 days. 66 days 66 days. 66 days. stopped, animal cured, No oil 0.0 cc.-l 1.9.51 to gums, anaemia, loss feeding restarted on

16.10.51-36 of interest. 17.10. 51, manifestations Pure argemone 5 cc.-17.10.51 to reappeared, Final

011 24.10.51-8 weight 12 lbs.

3. Male. 16 10 0.5 per cent 5 cc.-14.2.51 to No effect. Lethargy, loss of appe- 5.4. 51. 6.4. 51. 6.4.51. 5.4. 51. Weight 10 lbs Died on 19.3.51-34 tite, anaemia, acute 14.4.51.

20 per cent. 10 cc.-20.3.51 to breathlessness, lack 59 days. 13.4.51-25 of interest. 51 days. 52 days. 52 days. 51 days.

4. Male. 9 9 3 percent 5 CC.-14.2.51 to Apathy to food Diarrhoea, loss of appe- 20.4. 51. 20.4. 51. 20.4. 51. Sings and symptoms Survived. 19.3.51-34 tite, anaemia, lethar- slightly aggravated

? * 5 CC.-20.3.51 to gy breathlessness, weight 6 lbs. 10.9.51-175 rise in body temp., lack 64 days. 64 days. 64 days.

Pure argemone 5cc.-11.9.51 to of interest. oil 17.9.51?7-8

5. Male. 16 15 20 per cent 10 cc.-7.4.51 to No effect. Foul breath, lethargic 26.11.51. 26-10 51. 26.10.51. Loss of appetite, Survived 16.10.51-194 apathy to food emaci- lethargy, foul breath,

Pure argemone 5 cc.-17.10.51 to ation. anaemiamanifestations oil 16.11.51-31 10 days, from 17.10 51. aggravated, weight 12 lbs.

6. Male. 13 10 25 per cent 15 cc.-10.4.51 to No effect. Diarrhoea, lethargy 19.4.51.19.4. 51. 19.4.51.20.4.51. Weight 8 lbs. All Survived. 16.11.51-221 loss of appetite anaemia manifestations

breathless-ness, rise in 9 days. 9 days 9 days 9days began to disappear. temp., acutely ill.

1.Male 13 15 Pure mustard 10 cc.-14.2.51 to No effect. No effect. No effect. Survived, oil 16.11.51-276

"N.B.-A.?Pure argemone oil M?Pure ovY.

Feb.,

1954]

EFFECT

OF

A.

OIL

ON

MONKEYS

: LAL

73

Table II

Showing Postmortem appearance

Monkey External Stomach. Duodenum. Small Intestine. Liver, Lungs. Pericardial Heart. Uterus. Bladder. Kidney. Peritoneal No. appearance. sac. cavity.

Pure Emaciated. Congestion. Haemorrhagic Haemorrhagic Congested Haemorrhagic poin- 2 cc. clear Normal. Black Empty. Congested. 10 cc. straw a. oil. points. necrosis. ts in Rt. lowerlobe fluid. gangre- coloured fluid.

nous.

1?A. Emaciated oedema Congestion. Haemorrhagic .. Congested Haemorrhagic poin- .. Normal. .. Few cc. Congested of legs. points. ts in left lobe and of urine.

congested.

2. Emaciated of oedema .. .. .. Congested Haemorrhagic poin- .. Normal. .. Empty. Congested. _

of face, Scrotum, ts in both the lungs. legs, penis, anaemic.

3. Emaciated, oedema Congestion. Congested. Haemorrhagic Enlarged- . i 2 oz. of Enlarged .. Empty. Congested. 8 to 9 oz straw of Scrotum, penis, points and conge- clear Rt. ven? coloured fluid, face and legs. Congested sted. fluid. tricle.

74 THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE [Feb., 1954

Table III

Showing the total quantity of pure argemone oil required to produce oedema and/or death.

Monkey Initial body weight. Total argemone oil Total period in days for appearance of Total quantity No. lbs, taken in ccs. during argemone oil in cc.

experimental pe- Death (D.) for oedema, riod. Oedema. Survived (S.)

1. 12 10.0 .. 3D

1-A. 11 152.7 103 185 D 70.7

2. 18 480.9 52 248 D 48.4

3. 16 50.8 51 59 D 34.85

4. 9 92.6 64 216 S 14.1

5. 16 473.0 10 225 S 50.0

6. 13 828.8 9 221 S 33.8

For the purposes of discussion the monkeys could be put in two groups: (a) Deaths. The

period of appearance of cederaa in the monkeys varied as would appear from table III. Table

I & III read together show that the (i) adminis- tration of 0.5 per cent, 1 per cent, 2 per cent and 3 per cent did not produce oedema in 34 days, but when the concentration was increased, it

appeared in a minimum period of 51 days and a maximum of 103 days, (ii) Three monkeys (I A, 2, 3) died at varying intervals.

(b) Survivals. The other three monkeys viz. nos. 4, 5 and 6 developed oedema, number 6 on the 9th day, with 25 per cent of the mixture.

In spite of the fact that the feeding of the oil

was continued none of them died, rather all of

them started showing signs of improvement. The monkeys probably developed a tolerance to the oil after the initial symptoms.

Pure mustard oil had no effect.

The postmortem appearance of the monkeys (table II) showed emaciation, ansemia and con-

gestion of various organs. In one case there

was enlargement of the heart.

Chakravarty and Chaudhuri {Loc cit) re-

ported the death of the monkey on rice diet in 10 weeks with a total oral dose of 49.5 cc. of

pure argemone oil. In the present experiment (Table III) the minimum period was 59 days with a total dose of 50.8 cc. and the maximum

was 248 with 440.9 cc. of the oil. The total

Vitamin Bt intake of each of the monkey was 1.3 mgm. per day which could be considered to be adequate for daily body needs.

Conclusion

Oral administration of argemone oil mixed in

mustard oil caused the appearance of cedent

and other symptoms resembling epidemic dropsy in all the six monkeys of which three died. Lower concentration of the oil up to 3 per cent

did not produce oedema or cause death in 3^

days and irrespective of the initial concentra-

tion the animals did not show any of the mani-

festations in the first two weeks except apathy to food in two cases only.

Acknowledgment

The author is grateful to the Director

Public Health, and members of the Bihar Boai'd of Medical Research for the grant and to P1'0'

fessor B. Narayan, PH.D., F.N.I, for his help' ful criticisms.

REFERENCES

Chakravarty, N. K., and Indian Med. Gaz., 86, 392'

Chaudhuri, R. N.

(1951).

Lal, R. B., and Roy, Brit. Med. Jour., 25, 239- S. C. (1937).

Idem (1937). Indian J. Med. Res.,

163, 177, 215.

Lal, S. B. (1951) .. Indian Med. Gaz., 86,

2 7< Pasricha, C. L., Lal, S., Indian J. Med. Res.,

and Banerjee, K. 947.

(1940). ;

Plate V

EFFECTS OF ARGEMONE OIL ON MONKEYS (PAGE 71)

Fig. 1.?Monkey No. 2.

Normal and healthy before feeding.

Fig. 1.?Monkey No. 2.

Normal and healthy before feeding.

Fig. 2.?Monkey No. 2

Showing oedema of Scrotum and Feet

Fig. 2.?Monkey No. 2

Showing cedema of Scrotum a?d Feci

Pl<ATK VI

EFFECTS OF ARGEMONE OIL ON MONKEYS (PAGE 71)

Showing Oedema of Scrotum

Fig. 3.?Monkey No. 3.

Showing Oedema of Scrotum

Fig. 4.?Monkey No. 5.

Showing Oedema of Scrotum

Fig. 4.?Monkey No. 5.

Showing Oedema of Scrotum

Fig. 5.?Monkey No. 5.

Showing puffiness of Eyelids and face

Fig. 5.?Monkey No. 5.

Showing puffiness of Eyelids and face