Epidemic Dropsy

INTRODUCTION:

• Epidemic dropsy is a condition caused by consumption of mustard oil contaminated with argemone oil

MECHANISM:

• Contamination may be accidental or deliberate
• Argemone mexicana (Mexican prickly poppy) has seeds which resemble mustard seeds
• They grow among the mustard crops as weed plants
• They mature and produce seeds about the same time as mustard
• During harvesting, the argemone seeds may get mixed with the mustard seeds
• Also, unscrupulous dealers may mix argemone oil with mustard oil

PATHOLOGY:

• Active component of argemone Mexicana is Sanguinarine.
•  It interferes with the oxidation of pyruvic acid which accumulates in the blood.

CLINICAL FEATURES:

• Sudden. non-inflammatory, bilateral swelling of legs 
• Disc-edema
• Diarrhoea
• Dyspnea 
• There is an occurrence of eryththematous matting & raised hemangiomas on the skin & mucous membrane
• Glaucoma
• Peri-retinal haemorrhage
• Tortuous-retinal vessels
• Epidemic dropsy may occur at all ages except breast-fed infants.
• Heart failure – may lead to death (5-50% mortality rate)

DIAGNOSIS:

Nitric acid test

• Add nitric acid to a sample of oil to be tested
• If argemone oil is present, it develops a brown to orange-red colour
• This test can detect argemone oil at a concentration of 0.25%

Paper chromatography test:

• Very sensitive – can detect argemone oil at a concentration of 0.0001%

PREVENTION:

• Accidental contamination may be prevented by de-weeding of argemone plants
• Deliberate contamination should be dealt with using provisions of the ‘Prevention of Food Adulteration Act’

Don’t Forget to Solve all the previous Year Question asked on Epidemic Dropsy
Click Here to Start Quiz