Full Text (PDF)
Case Report

Crossroads of Industrial Chemistry and Clinical Toxicology: A Rare Case of Organotin Poisoning

Varshini D.R., Balamurugan Nathan, Sreekara V.R.

Author Information

Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.



Indian Journal of Emergency Medicine 12(1):p 55-59, Jan. March 2026. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.12126.10

How Cite This Article:

Varshini DR, Nathan B, Sreekara VR. Crossroads of Industrial Chemistry and Clinical Toxicology: A Rare Case of Organotin Poisoning. Indian J Emerg Med. 2026;12(1):55-59.

Timeline

Received : November 20, 2025         Accepted : December 26, 2025          Published : March 30, 2026

Abstract

Background: Cresylic acid and tributyltin oxide (TBTO) are prevalent industrial compounds utilized in household biocides and disinfectants. Oral intake, particularly when coupled, can result in significant systemic toxicity, even though human exposure often occurs through inhalation or dermal routes. Case Presentation: A 19-year-old woman from rural India intentionally ingested a disinfectant that contained TBTO and cresylic acid, which caused multiple organ poisoning in an unusual case. She responded to supportive therapy and eventually made a complete recovery. Conclusions: This case emphasizes the possibly life-threatening risks associated with exposure to phenolic and organotin compounds and highlights the value of early supportive treatment and careful supervision. Because there isn’t a lot of information on co-ingestion in humans, clinicians should treat such poisonings as if they were novel exposures.


References

  • 1.   https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/ protection/npi/substances/fact-sheets/ organo-tin-compounds
  • 2.   Molin L., Wahlberg J.E. Toxic skin reactions caused by tributyltin oxide (TBTO) in socks. Berufsdermatosen. 1975 Aug; 23(4): 138-42. PMID: 1227497.59 IJEM/Volume 12 Number 1/January–March 2026
  • 3.   Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Acute effect of indoor exposure to paint containing bis(tributyltin) oxide--Wisconsin, 1991. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1991 May 3; 40(17): 280-1. PMID: 2023573.
  • 4.   Wu M.L., Tsai W.J., Yang C.C., Deng J.F. Concentrated cresol intoxication. Vet Hum Toxicol. 1998 Dec;40(6):341-3. PMID: 9830694.
  • 5.   Doughmi D., Bennis L., Berrada A., Derkaoui A., Shimi A., Khatouf M. Severe ARDS Complicating an Acute Intentional Cresol Poisoning. Case Rep Crit Care. 2019 Aug 20;2019:6756352. Doi: 10.1155/2019/6756352. PMID: 31531245; PMCID: PMC6721468.
  • 6.   Kaloyanova, F.P. and El Batawi, M.A., Eds. Human Toxicology of Pesticides. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1991.10-192
  • 8.   Dang T.Q., Doan U.V., Nguyen T.D., Nguyen T.V., Nguyen TB. Reversible leukoencephalopathy associated with organotin poisoning. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2023 Jun; 61(6): 476-478. doi: 10.1080/15563650.2023.2218026. PMID: 37358038.
  • 9.   Elena A. Ostrakhovitch, Chapter 56 - Tin, Editor(s): Gunnar F. Nordberg, Bruce A. Fowler, Monica Nordberg, Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals (Fourth Edition), Academic Press, 2015, Pages 1241-1285, ISBN 9780444594532, https://doi.org/10.1016/ B978-0-444-59453-2.00056-1. (https://www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ B9780444594532000561
  • 10.   Bressa G., Hinton R.H., Price S.C., Isbir M, Ahmed R.S., Grasso P. Immunotoxicity of trin-butyltin oxide (TBTO) and tri-n-butyltin chloride (TBTC) in the rat. J Appl Toxicol. 1991 Dec; 11(6): 397-402. doi: 10.1002/ jat.2550110604. PMID: 1761797.
  • 12.   Barbosa C.M.L., Ferrão F.M., Graceli J.B. Organotin Compounds Toxicity: Focus on Kidney. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2018; 9:256. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00256. PMID: 29872423; PMCID: PMC5972511.
  • 13.   Huang, C.F., Yang, C.Y., Tsai, J.R., et al. Lowdose tributyltin exposure induces an oxidative stress-triggered JNK-related pancreatic β-cell apoptosis and a reversible hypoinsulinemic hyperglycemia in mice. Sci Rep 8, 5734 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24076.
  • 14.   Isomura M., Kotake Y., Masuda K., Miyara M., Okuda K., Samizo S., Sanoh S., Hosoi T., Ozawa K., Ohta S. Tributyltin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and its Ca(2+)-mediated mechanism. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2013 Oct 1; 272(1): 137-46. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2013.05.026. Epub 2013 Jun 3. PMID: 23743301
  • 15.   Yoo C.I., Kim Y., Jeong K.S., Sim C.S., Choy N., Kim J., Eum J.B., Nakajima Y., Endo Y., Kim Y.J. A case of acute organotin poisoning. J. Occup Health. 2007 Jul; 49(4): 305-10. doi: 10.1539/joh.49.305. PMID: 17690524.

Data Sharing Statement

There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Ethics Declaration

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.


About this article


Cite this article

Varshini DR, Nathan B, Sreekara VR. Crossroads of Industrial Chemistry and Clinical Toxicology: A Rare Case of Organotin Poisoning. Indian J Emerg Med. 2026;12(1):55-59.


Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.



Received Accepted Published
November 20, 2025 December 26, 2025 March 30, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.12126.10

Keywords


Article Level Metrics

Last Updated

Wednesday 17 June 2026, 01:50:51 (IST)


2144

Accesses

13
735
00

Citations


NA
NA
NA

Download citation


Article Keywords


Keyword Highlighting

Highlight selected keywords in the article text.


Timeline


Received November 20, 2025
Accepted December 26, 2025
Published March 30, 2026

licence


Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.



Access this article



Share