Effects of occupational exposure to methoxypsoralens [meladenin] in pharmaceutical industry

ABSTRACT

Methoxypsoralens [Meladenin] are the active ingredients of Ammi Majus Lina plant. These compounds increase the capacity of the skin to tan. Occupational exposure to such compounds occurs among workers during the extraction and manufacture of such materials. Forty workers involved in such industry were subjected to medical history taking, complete medical examination and full dermatological assessment. Results showed that workers complained from one or more symptom. The main manifestations were skin hyperpigmentation of the exposed areas [97.5%] and pruritus [47.5%], while in the control group the figures were 0% and 6.7% respectively. Chest symptoms and signs were also prevalent among exposed workers. Psoralens cause skin to be hypersensitive to light [photosensitivity] and hyperpigmentation is the result of exposure to vapour or dust of such materials which act most probably, topically on the skin. No case of skin cancer was seen among such group which may draw the attention to the possibility of the proactive effect of psoralens against ultra-violet induced carcinogenesis. The increased incidence of chest signs and symptoms may be due to exposure to dust or fumes during the different processes of manufacture of meladenin. The question whether this occupatinal hyperpigmentation is to be compensated or not has to be raised. Recommendations were given