A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of food allergy to eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) reveals female predominance.

BACKGROUND: Only a few case reports of allergy to eggplant (Solanum melongena) have been reported. A relatively large number of individuals appear to experience food-related symptoms to eggplant in India. OBJECTIVE: The major aims of this study are to assess the prevalence of food allergy to eggplant and analyse the age and gender distribution. METHODS: Seven hundred and forty-one subjects (age range: 5-60 years) randomly selected from rural and urban areas of Mysore city were analysed for the prevalence of eggplant allergy based on case history, skin prick test (SPT) with eggplant extracts and allergen-specific IgE. The age and gender distribution for the prevalence of eggplant allergy and its association with other atopic conditions were assessed. RESULTS: Sixty-eight (9.2%) subjects reported adverse reactions to ingestion of eggplant, of which 32 (4.3%) subjects had positive history/positive SPT and 36 (4.9%) had positive history/negative SPT. Sixteen (2.2%) subjects had negative history/positive SPT. Ten subjects (1.4%) experienced allergic symptoms in <2 h. Sensitization to eggplant by SPT was more in atopic (16.7%) compared with non-atopic subjects (3.8%). All the SPT-positive subjects (n=48) underwent evaluation for eggplant allergen-specific IgE, which was detected in 6 subjects (0.8%). Majority of the subjects sensitized to eggplant were in the age groups 16-45 years, and females were twice as likely to be sensitized as males. Female predominance (4 : 1) is more in the 16-30 year group. CONCLUSIONS: Many subjects experience adverse reactions to the ingestion of eggplant, possibly due to the pharmacologic action of histamine and other non-protein components, rather than to specific protein allergen(s). The prevalence of IgE-mediated eggplant allergy is estimated at approximately 0.8%, with higher rates of sensitization in females.

Quantitative effects of redox-cycling chemicals on the oxidant-sensitive enzyme dihydroxy-acid dehydratase.

The [4Fe-4S] cluster-containing enzyme dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD) is susceptible to inactivation by dioxygen and active oxygen species including superoxide with an inactivation rate constant of 10(6) m-1 sec-1. Based on this property, DHAD was used to quantify and investigate the biological oxidant stress activity of various redox-cycling chemicals. Exponentially growing cultures of Escherichia coli were used as a sensitive source of the DHAD enzyme. The effects on DHAD of compounds with and without established redox activity, under aerobic and anaerobic (control) conditions were measured. Paraquat, juglone, nitrofurantoin, the nitrofuran related compound NF-963 which is 6,7-dihydro-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl-5H-imidazo-[2,1-b] thiazolium chloride), plumbagin, benzoquinone, duroquinone, hydralazine, and naphthalene inhibited DHAD activity and the concentrations required for 50% inhibition ranged from 3.5 microM for paraquat to 950 microM for naphthalene. Eleven other agents tested (including 4,4-dipyridyl which is a non-redox-cycling compound similar to paraquat and an extract and two compounds of plant origin) did not inhibit DHAD. The DHAD technique described is a useful means of detecting and comparing the oxidant-stress toxicity and mechanism of action of chemicals by a biological means on a quantitative scale relatable to paraquat.