Dinitrophenol (DNP) is a toxic and dangerous substance used in the production of, among others, ammunition and herbicides. Although it is not suitable for human consumption, it is sold on the Internet as… a slimming preparation. Its sellers tempt customers with easy weight loss without any effort. And doctors constantly warn against the use of DNP, which has dramatic side effects that lead to death in agony.

Dinitrophenol (DNP)is not on the approved pharmaceuticals list. It is used in the production of herbicides (weed control agents) and artificial dyes, but must not be consumed under any circumstances. Why are young people using DNP as a slimming drug? Dinitrophenol can be tempting because it burns fat very quickly. Taking too high a dose of the substance causes shortness of breath, circulation problems and overheating of the body. The human body cannot keep up with the expulsion of energy generated by burning fat very quickly, causing respiratory problems and excessive sweating. If a person who has swallowed a large dose of DNP does not have excess body fat, the substance begins to burn not only fat, but also its internal tissues. The toxin causes a stroke, damage to internal organs, and with prolonged use, can lead to the formation of cancer cells.

Contents :

  1. DNP - what is it?
  2. DNP - application
  3. DNP - exposure routes
  4. DNP - doses
  5. DNP - how does it work?
  6. DNP - side effects
  7. DNP - antidote

DNP - what is it?

2,4-dinitrophenol, DNP for short, is an organic chemical compound from the group of phenols with the chemical formula C6H4N2O5. It is a yellow powder with a sweet musty taste. It is slightly soluble in water.

DNP - application

Initially, DNP was used by the French during World War I to produce ammunition. Since then, DNP has found use as a dye, wood preservative, photographic developer, herbicide, and shedding accelerator for crops. However, the versatility of DNP's application doesn't stop there. In 1933, Maurice Tainter discovered that the consumption of DNP was in humansleads to significant weight loss and was soon popularized as a weight loss agent. It was then stated in a study published in the prestigious JAMA journal that “DNP can be used therapeutically in situations where it is desired to accelerate the metabolic rate (including obesity). It has been shown to significantly increase the metabolism without causing damage to the organs and disturbing their function ”. Later, however, it turned out that higher doses of DNP can cause side effects such as cataracts and even death. After 1938, the prescription of DNP was discontinued as a slimming agent, as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized it as a very dangerous substance for humans.

After a long hiatus, in 1981 Dr. Bachynsky "rediscovered" the properties of DNP. He began to produce and sell DNP tablets under the trade name "Mitcal" as a weight loss agent in the so-called therapy of intracellular hyperthermia. However, after some time, reports of undesirable effects caused by "Mitcal" such as fever, shortness of breath and excessive sweating began to be received by the FDA. Dr. Bachynsky was first fined and sentenced to prison a few years later.

In 2003, the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued a warning that DNP is a substance "unfit for human consumption". In Poland, the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) has repeatedly warned that the use of supplements containing DNP poses a serious threat to he alth and life.

Currently, the use of DNP for industrial purposes is legal but strictly controlled.Selling DNP as a foodstuff is completely illegal.Despite this, DNP remains available, especially on the internet. In addition, websites provide advice on how to prevent the development of hyperthermia (increased body temperature), e.g. by using air conditioning and ventilators, wearing a thermometer to monitor body temperature. Other advice is, for example, when your body temperature rises above 38.9 ° C, it is recommended that you lower your DNP dose, take a very cold bath and keep yourself hydrated. Although it may sound very professional and give the impression that sellers care about their customers, no one can predict how the body will react to even small doses of DNP.

Prison for trade in DNP!

There is a prison sentence of up to 2 years for the sale of preparations not approved for pharmaceutical use. For manslaughter you can get a sentence of 5 years imprisonment. Such a pen alty was awarded to Maciej Ż., Who sold dinitrophenol to a 20-year-old resident of Warsaw a few years ago. The girl died after swallowingtoo much DNP.

- The daughter started to feel bad, she lacked air and the water was constantly coming out of her - said her mother about the last days before the death of the twenty-year-old girl. - It looked terrible. The water from it was steaming as if someone were touching an iron somewhere. She was sweating a lot and she couldn't breathe and felt like she was choking. It went on for several days. The daughter did not admit what she was taking. She was in the hospital for one day. She went in the evening and died in the morning. A he althy, normal girl.

Doctors couldn't save the girl because she didn't confess to taking DNP until the last minute. It was only after a search of her personal belongings that the cause of her breathlessness became clear, but it was too late to save her life.

DNP - exposure routes

The most common way of introducing DNP into the body is the oral route through the deliberate ingestion of powder capsules. If applied to the skin, DNP may cause a yellow color and be mildly corrosive. Absorption through the skin may lead to a systemic effect similar to that observed after ingestion by the oral route. Dermal exposure is the most common route of unintentional contact with DNP, e.g. in industry and agriculture. Inhalation exposure may occur through inhalation of polluted air, e.g. in landfills containing DNP, or by incineration. Inhalation of DNP vapors may lead to a systemic effect similar to that observed after oral ingestion.

DNP - doses

The lowest published lethal oral DNP dose in humans was 4.3 mg / kg body weight. Doses reported in fatal cases or suicide attempts range from 2.8 g to about 5 g / kg body weight. In contrast, the highest recorded non-fatal ingestion dose was 2.4 g / kg body weight.

This shows that the tolerance to DNP varies greatly from person to person, making DNP a very unpredictable substance.

Preparations on the black market differ in the proposed doses, most often they are capsules with a dose of 100 mg or 200 mg of DNP.

It is also worth noting that the concentration of DNP in the body remains quite long, as its half-life is 36 hours. This means that after taking a certain dose, the concentration of DNP drops by half only after 36 hours. Therefore, taking subsequent doses causes the accumulation of DNP in the body, and stopping its intake in the event of side effects does not give an immediate effect.

DNP - how does it work?

DNP is called decoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. What does this mean exactly? There are centers in our cellsenergy - mitochondria, responsible for the production of energy, which is stored in the form of adinosine-5-triphosphate (ATP). ATP is a type of cellular "battery" that is constantly recharged during oxidative phosphorylation. The energy stored in ATP is essential for virtually every process in the body. ATP is formed as a result of a complex process of electron transport and proton transfer across mitochondrial membranes, which creates an electrochemical gradient. Thanks to it, a high-energy phosphorus bond in the ATP molecule can be created.

DNP acts on the last stage of the oxidative phosphorylation process, causing proton leakage and preventing the generation of an electrochemical gradient necessary for the synthesis of ATP bonds. As a result, the energy dissipated is lost in heat (hyperthermia, temperature rise even above 43ᵒC). Additionally, the loss in ATP production efficiency is partially compensated by the increased metabolic rate. DNP can increase basal metabolism by up to 50%! This leads to rapid weight loss by burning more fat and carbohydrates. In this way, the body tries to produce ATP necessary for life, but it is impossible and at some point it breaks down, the consequence of which is the stoppage of vital functions.

DNP - side effects

There is little margin between the "therapeutic effects" and the toxic effects of DNP. The most common side effects reported with the use of low doses of DNP are rash, itchy skin, yellow discoloration of the skin, eyeballs and urine. The blood count shows a decreased level of neutrophils. Animal studies have also shown that DNP is carcinogenic and may cause fetal harm.

Higher doses of DNP may cause gastritis and enteritis, acute kidney and liver damage, and cataracts. The most common neurological symptoms are agitation, convulsions and coma. Sweating, vomiting and diarrhea lead to dehydration.

However, the most common symptoms seen with an overdose of DNP are an increase in body temperature (40 ° C), an increase in heart rate (144 beats per minute), profuse sweating, and rapid breathing (40 breaths per minute).

Unfortunately, in a large number of cases, taking too high doses of DNP is fatal. The first death due to DNP was recorded in 1918 and was a consequence of occupational exposure. In contrast, the last decade saw the highest number of reports of deaths due to intentionaloverdose of DNP. In total, by 2011, descriptions of 62 cases of deaths caused by DNP had been published in the medical literature.

The mean time to onset of symptoms after an overdose of DNP is 7-8 hours and the mean time of death is 14 hours. Overdosing on DNP leads to death in agony due to multiple organ failure. Deep muscle stiffness, making it difficult to breathe, is evident just before death.

SEE VIDEO: What are the effects of using DNP?

Psychologist Sylwia Prawdzik, trainer Dariusz Rycaj and Agnieszka Czerwińska, who used to take dinitrophenol, talk about the effects of using DNP.

Source: Dzień Dobry TVN / x-news

DNP - antidote

There is no specific antidote for DNP poisoning. This is another argument why DNP should not be used. People suspected of overdose should be observed for at least 12 hours. During this time, you should monitor your body temperature, heart rate, heart rate, and oxygen saturation.

References : 1. Grundlingh J. et al.2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP): a weight loss agent with significant acute toxicity and risk of death. J Med Toxicol . 2011, 7 (3), 205-12. 2. Tewari A. et al.Weight loss and 2,4-dinitrophenol poisoning."Br J Anaesth" 2009, 102, 566-7. 3. Holborow A. et al.Beware the yellow slimming pill: fatal 2,4-dinitrophenol overdose . BMJ Case Rep. 2016, 4, 2016.

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