Date: Wed 15 Jul 2009
Source: Fresh Plaza [edited]
http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=47511
India: government to prevent misuse of oxytocin in fruits and vegetables
Indiscriminate use of oxytocin may cause health hazards if taken
through vegetables over a period of time.
To prevent misuse by farmers this drug has been notified as a
Schedule-H drug and can be sold only against the prescription of the
registered medical/veterinary practitioner. It has been made mandatory
through Gazette notification to market oxytocin injection in single
unit blister packs only. Instructions have also been issued to all
State Drug Controllers to regulate and monitor manufacture and
distribution of oxytocin.
This information was given in Lok Sabha [the directly elected lower
house of the Parliament of India] today [15 Jul 2009] by Prof KV
Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and
Public Distribution in a written reply.
—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Susan Baekeland
[Oxytocin is a short polypeptide hormone released from the posterior
lobe of the pituitary gland, which stimulates the contraction of
smooth muscle of the uterus during labor and facilitates ejection of
milk from the breast during nursing. It has also been identified as a
hormone related to establishing the “mothering instinct.”
Other functions of the hormone are being investigated, especially its
role in the male and its relationship to movement of sperm. It may
play a role in our level of trust or bonding with another person and
conversely lower levels may be related to some anxiety.
There are claims about the synthetic version of the drug causing
cancer. While this drug is useful to stimulate birth, the synthesis of
the drug is very exact, but the concern and debate rage on.
The drug or the hormone are valuable tools in assisting in difficult
birthing situations. The hormone does not appear to be produced by
plants, but this article seems to indicate that plants, especially
fruits and vegetables are responding to the stimulus.
The physiological aspects of the plant and how it metabolizes the drug
may or may not have any ill effects on its consumers. It is an area
that is unstudied at the moment. What is known is that fruiting bodies
tend to grow larger, which is not the function of the hormone in the
body. It is unknown if any metabolites from the drug will produce
cancer, or possibly even heal it.
- Mod.TG]
[Note that no adverse effects of the consumption of oxytocin-treated
vegetables have been reported.
It is remarkable how Indian farmers discover growth-enhancing effects
of unexpected drugs on their produce. This report recalls the use in
India of diclofenac in cattle, which killed off the griffon vultures
feeding on their carcasses — see ProMED archive below. I would not
have thought that the increase in weight, and therefore sale price, of
vegetables would justify the expense of oxytocin, unless it is used
only in homeopathic quantities. Furthermore, one would probably have
to eat a lot of pumpkins on a daily basis to accumulate enough of the
hormone to have any kind of effect. - Mod.JW]
[Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in northern India can be located on the
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
http://healthmap.org/r/008o
Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
[see also:
2004
>>>Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal<<<
Too many Liberals in their diet?