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No Camphor Toxicity in Cambodian Infants
Casey R Johnson1, Samuel G Porter2,3, Debra Coats4
1Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Global Pediatric Health
|May 12, 2017
Summary
Camphorated ointments are commonly used on Cambodian infants, but this study found no link between camphor exposure and tachypnea, a symptom often mistaken for beriberi.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Toxicology
- Physiology
Background:
- Thiamine deficiency and beriberi are common in Cambodia, presenting with nonspecific symptoms like tachypnea in infants.
- Infants with these symptoms often lack definitive echocardiographic evidence of beriberi.
- Camphor, known to activate TRPV3 channels involved in thermoregulation, is present in topical ointments widely used in Cambodia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that topical camphor exposure in infants modulates thermoregulatory behaviors, leading to tachypnea mimicking beriberi.
- To determine if camphor is associated with tachypneic illness in Cambodian infants, independent of thiamine deficiency.
Main Methods:
- Assessed tachypneic (n=9) and healthy (n=10) infants for topical Tiger Balm use.
- Measured camphor levels in whole blood samples from all participating infants.
Main Results:
- No detectable levels of camphor were found in the blood of any infants, regardless of their clinical status.
- This finding indicates that camphor exposure is not associated with the tachypneic illness observed in these infants.
Conclusions:
- Topical camphor is not the cause of tachypnea in Cambodian infants presenting with nonspecific symptoms.
- The study rules out camphor as a factor in beriberi-like tachypnea, suggesting other causes should be investigated.
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