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RESIDUES OF THERAPEUTICS RESIDUES OF THERAPEUTICS IN THE ENVIRONMENTIN THE ENVIRONMENT

A Novel Environmental Hazard A Novel Environmental Hazard Responsible For The Population Responsible For The Population

Decline Of White-Backed Vultures Decline Of White-Backed Vultures ((Gyps BengalensisGyps Bengalensis) Of Southern Asia?) Of Southern Asia?

Dr P R Arun & Dr P A AzeezSalim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural

History

Oriental White-backed Vulture (Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensisGyps bengalensis))Oriental White-backed Vulture (Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensisGyps bengalensis))

Vulture DeclineVulture DeclineVulture DeclineVulture Decline

Common in south Asia in early last centuryCommon in south Asia in early last century Declined in eastern range by mid centuryDeclined in eastern range by mid century Population peak in western parts by 1980sPopulation peak in western parts by 1980s Population plummeting in 1990sPopulation plummeting in 1990s

– Extensive & mysteriously drasticExtensive & mysteriously drastic– Unprecedented in any vertebrate sp. In 20Unprecedented in any vertebrate sp. In 20 thth

centurycentury

Common in south Asia in early last centuryCommon in south Asia in early last century Declined in eastern range by mid centuryDeclined in eastern range by mid century Population peak in western parts by 1980sPopulation peak in western parts by 1980s Population plummeting in 1990sPopulation plummeting in 1990s

– Extensive & mysteriously drasticExtensive & mysteriously drastic– Unprecedented in any vertebrate sp. In 20Unprecedented in any vertebrate sp. In 20 thth

centurycentury

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Studies on the SpeciesStudies on the Species

Preliminary literature surveyPreliminary literature survey– Short notes Short notes 1818– NewslettersNewsletters 3434– Ph.D thesis Ph.D thesis 0101

Lack of behavioural dataLack of behavioural data– Head drooping symptom!Head drooping symptom!– Normal behaviour in response to higher Normal behaviour in response to higher

temperatures !temperatures !

Preliminary literature surveyPreliminary literature survey– Short notes Short notes 1818– NewslettersNewsletters 3434– Ph.D thesis Ph.D thesis 0101

Lack of behavioural dataLack of behavioural data– Head drooping symptom!Head drooping symptom!– Normal behaviour in response to higher Normal behaviour in response to higher

temperatures !temperatures !

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Proposed HypothesProposed Hypotheseess

Mass killingMass killing– Shooting/ poisoningShooting/ poisoning

Pesticide poisoningPesticide poisoning– Organo-chlorides/ phosphatesOrgano-chlorides/ phosphates

A new contagious diseaseA new contagious disease

Mass killingMass killing– Shooting/ poisoningShooting/ poisoning

Pesticide poisoningPesticide poisoning– Organo-chlorides/ phosphatesOrgano-chlorides/ phosphates

A new contagious diseaseA new contagious disease

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Diclofenac HypothesisDiclofenac Hypothesis

Lindsay Oaks (2003)Lindsay Oaks (2003)– Peregrine foundationPeregrine foundation– Study in PakistanStudy in Pakistan– Lethal to vultures at Lethal to vultures at

veterinary dosesveterinary doses

Lindsay Oaks (2003)Lindsay Oaks (2003)– Peregrine foundationPeregrine foundation– Study in PakistanStudy in Pakistan– Lethal to vultures at Lethal to vultures at

veterinary dosesveterinary doses

Common painkiller (NSAID) available in Medical Common painkiller (NSAID) available in Medical stores (Dicloran, Diclofenac gel etc.) stores (Dicloran, Diclofenac gel etc.)

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Who the Killer ? Who the Killer ?

Major cause of mortality was ‘gout’Major cause of mortality was ‘gout’– Caused by Diclofenac (in Pakistan)Caused by Diclofenac (in Pakistan)

Other possible causative agents of goutOther possible causative agents of gout– Acidosis,Acidosis, dehydration,dehydration, lead poisoning, lead poisoning, – Starvation,Starvation, skin diseases, skin diseases, – Gut sterilization by antibiotics Gut sterilization by antibiotics – Radiation exposure ..EtcRadiation exposure ..Etc

Major cause of mortality was ‘gout’Major cause of mortality was ‘gout’– Caused by Diclofenac (in Pakistan)Caused by Diclofenac (in Pakistan)

Other possible causative agents of goutOther possible causative agents of gout– Acidosis,Acidosis, dehydration,dehydration, lead poisoning, lead poisoning, – Starvation,Starvation, skin diseases, skin diseases, – Gut sterilization by antibiotics Gut sterilization by antibiotics – Radiation exposure ..EtcRadiation exposure ..Etc

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Other possibilities ?Other possibilities ?

A lethal mutation hampering the metabolic A lethal mutation hampering the metabolic pathway ?pathway ?

Loss of vitality due to new sedentary Loss of vitality due to new sedentary habits? habits?

Multiple factors appears to have acted Multiple factors appears to have acted behind the vulture mortalitybehind the vulture mortality

A lethal mutation hampering the metabolic A lethal mutation hampering the metabolic pathway ?pathway ?

Loss of vitality due to new sedentary Loss of vitality due to new sedentary habits? habits?

Multiple factors appears to have acted Multiple factors appears to have acted behind the vulture mortalitybehind the vulture mortality

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PharmaceuticalsPharmaceuticals

Continuous Continuous release results in persistency release results in persistency Can cause Can cause undetectable effects that mayundetectable effects that may

causecause cascad cascading effectsing effects culminat culminating in ing in iirreversible ecological disastersrreversible ecological disasters

Continuous Continuous release results in persistency release results in persistency Can cause Can cause undetectable effects that mayundetectable effects that may

causecause cascad cascading effectsing effects culminat culminating in ing in iirreversible ecological disastersrreversible ecological disasters

Double role of DrugsDouble role of DrugsDouble role of DrugsDouble role of Drugs

DrugDrug Medical UseMedical Use Other usesOther uses

4-4-aminopyridineaminopyridine In MIn Multiple sclerosisultiple sclerosis AAvicide.vicide.

WWarfarinarfarin AAnticoagulantnticoagulant RodenticideRodenticide

TTriclosanriclosan GingivitisGingivitis ( (toothpastetoothpaste)).. GGeneral biocideeneral biocide

AcetaminophenAcetaminophen AAnalgesicnalgesic Kill bKill brown tree snakerown tree snake

(Indonesia)(Indonesia)

CaffeineCaffeine Beverage, Beverage, stimulantstimulant Kill Kill CCoqui frogoqui frogss and slugs at and slugs at >> 0.5%.0.5%. (Hawai) (Hawai)

DiclofenacDiclofenac Analgesic, AntipyreticAnalgesic, Antipyretic Kill Vultures (Pakistan)Kill Vultures (Pakistan)

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Pharmaceuticals in EnvironmentPharmaceuticals in EnvironmentPharmaceuticals in EnvironmentPharmaceuticals in Environment

A neglected, but potential source of pollutionA neglected, but potential source of pollution– Increasingly being recognized recentlyIncreasingly being recognized recently

Delayed recognition:Delayed recognition:– Primarily by limitations in analytical environmental Primarily by limitations in analytical environmental

chemistry (ultra-trace enrichment and detection)chemistry (ultra-trace enrichment and detection)

Toxicological significance of ecological exposure Toxicological significance of ecological exposure is poorly understoodis poorly understood

A neglected, but potential source of pollutionA neglected, but potential source of pollution– Increasingly being recognized recentlyIncreasingly being recognized recently

Delayed recognition:Delayed recognition:– Primarily by limitations in analytical environmental Primarily by limitations in analytical environmental

chemistry (ultra-trace enrichment and detection)chemistry (ultra-trace enrichment and detection)

Toxicological significance of ecological exposure Toxicological significance of ecological exposure is poorly understoodis poorly understood

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Major SourcesMajor Sources

LLeaching from municipal landfillseaching from municipal landfills and and SSewage.ewage.

TTransgenic production of proteinaceous ransgenic production of proteinaceous therapeutics by genetically altered plants.therapeutics by genetically altered plants.– ““molecular farmingmolecular farming/ / biopharming”.biopharming”.

SSorption of drugs to orption of drugs to SPMSPM could could also also serve serve as a as a potential potential route of exposure.route of exposure.

LLeaching from municipal landfillseaching from municipal landfills and and SSewage.ewage.

TTransgenic production of proteinaceous ransgenic production of proteinaceous therapeutics by genetically altered plants.therapeutics by genetically altered plants.– ““molecular farmingmolecular farming/ / biopharming”.biopharming”.

SSorption of drugs to orption of drugs to SPMSPM could could also also serve serve as a as a potential potential route of exposure.route of exposure.

US EPA site US EPA site

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ConclusionConclusion

The Vulture mortality is likely to be The Vulture mortality is likely to be caused caused by a host of conducive conditionsby a host of conducive conditions for Gout, for Gout,

Highlights the need for tracing the Highlights the need for tracing the Environmental fate and ecological impacts Environmental fate and ecological impacts of Pharmaceutical compounds of Pharmaceutical compounds

Appropriate methodologies and standard Appropriate methodologies and standard guidelines need to be developed guidelines need to be developed

The Vulture mortality is likely to be The Vulture mortality is likely to be caused caused by a host of conducive conditionsby a host of conducive conditions for Gout, for Gout,

Highlights the need for tracing the Highlights the need for tracing the Environmental fate and ecological impacts Environmental fate and ecological impacts of Pharmaceutical compounds of Pharmaceutical compounds

Appropriate methodologies and standard Appropriate methodologies and standard guidelines need to be developed guidelines need to be developed

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Thank YouThank You

““Not everything that can be counted counts, and not

everything that counts can be counted” ”

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

““Not everything that can be counted counts, and not

everything that counts can be counted” ”

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

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