Question

A class of rodenticides (commonly referred to as rat poison) work by antagonizing Vitamin K. If a child or animal ingests these rodenticides, would you expect to see normal clotting time, prolonged clotting time, or faster clotting time? Explain.

Answer 1

There will be Prolonged clotting time-

Explanation-Rodenticides are the substances that are used to kill rat.Usually they are mixed with foods that are attractive to Rodents like cheese.So there is a possibility that it may be aten by small childrens accidentally.

There are different types of Rodenticides that differ in their mechanism of action.

Some of them wotk by antagonising Vitamin K-

They irreversibly bind to enzyme vitamin K 2,3‐epoxide reductase---------which causes interruption in the recycling of vitamin K-------Reduction in the amount of Vitamin K.

Vitamin K is an important cofactor for the carboxylase which catalyzes the carboxylation of glutamic acid residues present on the vitamin K-dependent proteins like factors II(Prothrombin), VII, IX, X.

These factors are essentail for the formation of clot through the coagulation cascade--Deficiency of these factors leads to Prolonged clotting time