title: Alkohl use in Saudi Arabia. Extent of use and possible lead toxicity.
abstract: The extent of alkohl use, its lead content and blood lead levels after use were investigated. A total of 500 individuals were interviewed. It was observed that 233 (47%) had used alkohl. The main purposes for its use were: eye cosmetic (66%) and eye and umbilical stump remedy (26%). Of those who used it as an eye cosmetic, 45% applied it daily and 18% occasionally. Sixty-five (28%) of the users experienced some type of adverse reactions. Their mean blood lead levels was 0.99 uMol/L as compared to 0.26 uMol/L in non-users. The majority of alkohl samples analyzed had high lead content. Mean blood lead levels of rabbits treated with alkohl was 3.31 uMol/L. It is recommended that the public should be educated on the possible dangers of continued alkohl use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alkhawajah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000592:standards; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013440:Sulfides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D013440:Sulfides; C018391:lead sulfide; D007854:Lead