Epidemic Dropsy

• 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’