Toxin responsible for epidemic dropsy is: September 2005

Ans. B: Sanguinarine Epidemic dropsy is a form of edema of extremities due to intoxication with Argemone mexicana (Mexican prickly poppy). In India, epidemic dropsy occurs as a food adulterant disease where use of mustard oil as cooking medium is common. When mustard oil is adulterated deliberately (as in most cases) or accidental contamination with argemone oil, proteinuria (specifically loss of albumin) occurs, with a resultant edema as would occur in nephrotic syndrome. Other symptoms are bilaterall pitting edema of extremities headache, nausea, loose bowels, erythema and breathlessness. In severe cases fatalities are repoed due to congestive hea failure. The toxic effects of argemone oil have been attributed to the presence of benzophenanthridine alkaloids, sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine. it has been repoed that the sanguinarine alkaloid content in argemone oil varies from 0.44% to 0.50%. Sanguinarine and Dihydrosanguinarine alkaloids, present in argemone oil are the responsible etiological agents of Epidemic dropsy. Though, epidemic dropsy is known in the country for the past hundred years still there are no established effective lines of treatment.