The extreme danger of lean substance - salbutamol

Faced with the widespread use of Salbutamol as a leaner in livestock, the Drug Administration (Ministry of Health) has proposed to put Salbutamol in a special control.

Salbutamol is a human drug with the brand name albuterol, Ibuterol ... belonging to the ß-agonist group (beta receptor) is a group of substances commonly used in asthma treatment.

Sabutamol is an ß2 receptor (beta 2 receptor) that acts quickly to produce Epinephrine, used to reduce bronchospasm in diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Sabutamol was first sold on the market in 1968, by Allen and Hanburys under the brand name Ventolin.

Medicines for treating asthma containing salbutamol are available in both domestic and international markets. In our country, drugs containing salbutamol are strictly managed by the Ministry of Health.

When the lungs are stimulated, muscle groups around the respiratory organs contract, causing the airways to narrow, and this often leads to apnea, asthma.

Salbutamol will now be used to cut asthma attacks in people, especially in emergencies, it works in the respiratory tract to relax the muscles in the trachea, so the trachea expands and the amount of air into the lungs will increase.

In obstetrics, the activity of beta 2 receptors relaxes the smooth muscle of the uterus, which can delay delivery.

Potential dangers of indiscriminate use of salbutamol

Although there are many benefits in medicine as mentioned above, salbutamol is also potentially dangerous to human health if used indiscriminately and improperly.

The European Pharmacovigilance Commission (PRAC) has recommended short-acting beta-stimulants such as salbutamol should not be used in obstetrical or anal anesthesia in the prevention of labor spasms.

When using high doses of these drugs, there will appear cardiovascular side effects such as tachycardia, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), and other serious side effects such as pulmonary edema.

Therefore, these drugs are used in obstetrics not indicated in patients with a history or risk of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, especially for pregnant women using long term or eating lean foods from salbutamol, there is also a risk of increasing fetal malformations (teratogenicity).

Although there are no studies on the human body, but according to the Reprotox Toxicology Center, some studies show that salbutamol interferes with embryonic development in mice.

The center also found a specific increase in "birth defects" related to the use of salbutamol during early pregnancy.

In 2001, author Woodward KN of the Veterinary Drug Research Institute in England studied the metabolism and toxicity of salbutamol and clenbuterol in some animal species (rats, rabbits, monkeys, buffaloes, cows, horses). .

According to the author, in rat teratogenicity studies (oral doses of 10 and 100 mg / kg daily), there were signs of teratogenicity such as hydrocephalus, umbilical hernia, ribs and spinal deformed broken.

For rabbits (30mg to 50mg / kg oral dose per day) signs of poisoning appear, including delayed bone and cleft palate degeneration.

How is salbutamol abused in livestock?

In addition to the main effects used in the above Medicine, the ß-agonist group (beta receptor), which is mainly salbutamol, has been shown to be an effective transducer, reducing the rate of fat, increasing the lean rate. in cattle and poultry.

It is noteworthy that only a part of salbutamol is excreted and partially metabolized, most salbutamol remains residues in the muscles and organs in the body (liver, kidney ...) of livestock.

The use of supplemental salbutamol in animal feed to increase the percentage of lean meat, reduce fat, and make lean meat in red is not only happening in Vietnam but all over the world, especially in developing countries.

Salbutamol has long been banned from use in animal husbandry by decision of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

In July 1997, Europe banned the use of ß-agonists (except for veterinary medicine). In Vietnam, các-agonist pharmaceuticals including clenbuterol and salbutamol are listed in the list of 18 banned chemicals of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

However, these substances are still used by a number of sneaky people in animal husbandry and the inspection of their presence in animal and poultry feeds in 2005-2008 largely stopped at accuracy is not high.

In 2015, immediately after having information on salbutamol materials capable of being misused in animal husbandry, the Ministry of Health has actively implemented measures to prevent abuse and misuse. Drug materials, especially in the case of Salbutamol.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam has issued Official Letter No. 21590 / QLD-KD dated November 20, 2015 to the importers, the Health Services and the General Department of Customs to suspend the import of Salbutamol materials.

The effects of salbutamol on animals and salbutamol users accumulating in meat food will affect consumer health through food chains, causing symptoms of arrhythmia, heart palpitations, hypertension, bronchospasm, edema, muscle tremors, muscle paralysis, dizziness, ...

For the immediate benefit, farmers have been causing immeasurable hazards to public and social health.

For example, with the best type of super lean pig in the country today, it takes people 5 months to reach the weight of 95-100 kg / head but add 1 teaspoon of salbutamol to food (for 10 pigs of 70 type -80 kg / head), the export time is shortened to only 3 months!

How is super lean meat caused by salbutamol?

Essentially super lean meats are lean fake meat. When this lean substance enters the body of pigs (pigs), it will make the blood in the lean meat stand on the fat side, making the fat gradually turn red like lean meat.

Lean substances for pigs found in Vietnam are usually salbutamol and clenbuterol, belonging to the beta receptor group.

Farmers using this lean chemical only feed pigs no more than half a month, before finishing. If you raise more than half a month, pigs will fall on their feet, because this chemical makes the bones brittle.

During the move, pigs will break their legs. In addition, throughout the pig will start to appear water sores.

These stimulants are chemicals that can remain in the animal body for long periods even when processed, not spoiled when processed at high temperatures such as frying, baking, and so directly affect to user health.

According to Quy Nhon Institute of Malaria and Parasitology, in the Medicine and Chemicals section, 1 kg of salbutamol can be mixed into 1 ton of animal feed.

Because a pig gains 2 kg per day, it is possible to eat 6 kg of food (weight gain = 1: 3), meaning eating 6g (= 6,000mg) of salbutamol or clenbuterol.

The therapeutic dose for a person (about 50-60 kg) cannot exceed 200 mcg = 0.2 mg, so the amount of the substance allowed in the pig weighs about 100kg: 2 * 0.2 = 0.4 mg.

So the amount of salbutamol (or clenbuterol) that pigs eat on a day is higher than the permitted amount: 6000mg / 0.4 = 15,000 times.

If the pig is slaughtered for 13 days (before 15 days of sale), salbutamol (or clenbuterol) residue is higher than the permitted amount: 15,000 * 13 = 195,000 times. Too terrible!

For animals such as pigs and animals, this animal can only survive for more than half a month when slaughtered.

When eating salbutamol contaminated meat, this toxin is easily absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and the amount of salbutamol remaining in the flesh is much more absorbed by the body.

Salbutamol can cause myasthenia gravis, which reduces the movement of muscles and joints, causing the body to develop abnormally.

If consumers eat pork with a residue of two substances banned from salbutamol for a long time, there is a risk of bad effects on the heart, causing heart palpitations, hypertension, muscle tremors, digestive disorders if severe can be dangerous It is life-threatening and may be a risk for other diseases.

Eating this type of pork, women are at risk of breast cancer; testicular cysts, varicose veins, lower semen quality, sexual behavior changes ...

How to identify which meat has lean and normal meat

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Production (MARD), it is very difficult to distinguish pork from lean feed and lean lean meat from the naked eye.

In order to know which pork is infected with lean substance, it is necessary to take meat samples for inspection and analysis to make sure conclusions.

However, people should avoid lean lean red meat like beef.

The following are four characteristics that identify super lean meat with chemicals according to the Department of Livestock experts:

1. See the fat layer under the skin, if the fat layer is thin and loose, avoid it. Usually super lean pigs are fed chemicals so the fat layer is thin, sometimes only 1 cm thick (usually about 0.4 cm), while the fat layer of normal pork is about 1.5-2 cm

2. Look at colors: Pork contains toxic substances Ractophamine and Clenbuterol often have unusual bright red, bright and shiny.

3. Cut out the meat with 2-3 fingers thick, if you see the soft meat, not standing upright on the table, it is very likely that the meat has been infected with weight gain.

4. Observe whether the link between the lean and fat parts, if clearly separated, while yellow fluid oozes, it is definitely super lean meat.

Consumers should always be smart and smart to choose fresh, good quality meat so that families always have meals to ensure health and nutrition.