Margosa oil poisoning as a cause of Reye's syndrome.

Abstract

Vomiting, drowsiness, metabolic acidosis, polymorphonuclear leucocytosis, and encephalopathy developed in thirteen infants within hours of ingestion of margosa oil. Liver biopsy of one infant and necropsy examination of ICR strain mice after experimentally induced margosa-oil poisoning demonstrated pronounced fatty infiltration of the liver and proximal renal tubules as well as cerebral oedema. Electron microscopy demonstrated mitochondrial damage. These findings indicate that margosa oil may be involved in the aetiology of Reye's syndrome among Indians in Malaysia.

• Authors: D Sinniah, G Baskaran
• Journal: Lancet (London, England) (Lancet) Vol. 1 Issue 8218 Pg. 487-9 (Feb 28 1981) ISSN: 0140-6736 [Print] England
• PMID: 6110100 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Oils
• Plant Extracts

Topics

• Age Factors
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Malaysia
• Male
• Medicine, Traditional
• Oils (poisoning, therapeutic use)
• Plant Extracts (poisoning)
• Reye Syndrome (chemically induced)
• Seeds
• Trees