paraquat

paraquat

 [par´ah-kwat]

a poisonous compound some of whose salts are used as contact herbicides. Concentrated solutions cause skin irritation, cracking and shedding of nails, and delayed healing of cuts and wounds. After ingestion of large doses, renal and hepatic failure may develop, followed by pulmonary insufficiency, sometimes ending fatally; it may also be accidentally inhaled. Since it is absorbed slowly from the gastrointestinal tract, the best treatment for poisoning is administration of a large amount of an absorbent such as activated charcoal to bind with the paraquat, followed by a cathartic to shorten transit time.

par·a·quat

(par'ă-kwaht),

A weedkiller that produces delayed toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, and lungs when ingested; progressive interstitial pneumonia with proliferation of alveolar lining cells may develop.

paraquat

/para·quat/ (par´ah-kwaht) a poisonous compound, some of whose salts are used as contact herbicides. Contact with concentrated solutions causes irritation of the skin, cracking and shedding of the nails, and delayed healing of cuts and wounds. After ingestion of large doses, renal and hepatic failure may develop, followed by pulmonary insufficiency.

paraquat

(păr′ə-kwŏt′)

n.

A toxic nonpersistent contact herbicide, C₁₂H₁₄ N₂, usually formulated as its colorless dichloride salt, C₁₂H₁₄Cl₂N₂, or yellow bismethyl sulfate salt, C₁₂H₁₄N₂O₈S₂.

par·a·quat

(par'ă-kwaht)

A weedkiller that produces delayed toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, and lungs when ingested.

paraquat

A highly poisonous defoliant weedkiller that can cause progressive lung damage, respiratory failure and kidney failure. The poison can be absorbed through the skin. Charcoal or Fuller's earth are useful antidotes.

paraquat

a dipyridilium herbicide which initially causes stomatitis, colic, vomiting and diarrhea, then 2 to 10 days later causes pulmonary edema and hemorrhage which leads to a fibrosing pneumonitis and death in all species if given in sufficiently large doses.