J Korean Neurol Assoc.  2014 May;32(2):113-116.

Encephalopathy After Glufosinate Ammonium Intoxication

• Kim JH
• Yu I
• Kim YD
• Na SJ
• Lee KO
• Yoon B

Abstract

Glufosinate ammonium is the active ingredient in broad-spectrum contact herbicides such as BASTA(R) that inhibits the activity of glutamine synthetase, which is necessary for the production of the amino acid glutamine and for ammonia detoxification. Complications of glufosinate ammonium intoxication include gastrointestinal symptoms, loss of consciousness, convulsions, memory impairment, respiratory failure, and cardiovascular instability. We report herein a case of encephalopathy and reversible signal changes in the splenium of the corpus callosum, the bilateral corticospinal tracts, the hippocampi, and the cerebellar peduncles as seen in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images following BASTA(R) intoxication.

Keyword

Glufosinate ammonium; Encephalopathy; Intoxication

MeSH Terms

Ammonia
Ammonium Compounds*
Corpus Callosum
Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase
Glutamine
Herbicides
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Memory
Pyramidal Tracts
Respiratory Insufficiency
Seizures
Unconsciousness
Ammonia
Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase
Glutamine
Herbicides