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Encyclopedia > Grayanotoxin

Grayanotoxin is a toxin found in rhododendrons and other plants of the family Ericaceae. It can be found in honey made from their nectar and cause a very rare poisonous reaction called grayanotoxin poisoning, honey intoxication, or rhododendron poisoning. The toxin is also known as andromedotoxin, acetylandromedol, or rhodotoxin.


Grayanotoxin is a polyhydroxylated cyclic diterpene. It binds to specific sodium channels in cell membranes, the receptor sites involved in activation and inactivation. The grayanotoxin prevents inactivation, leaving excitable cells depolarized. Empirically the toxin is C22H36O7


Gross physical symptoms occur after a dose-dependent latent period of minutes to three hours or so. Initial symptoms are excessive salivation, perspiration, vomiting, dizziness, weakness and paresthesia in the extremities and around the mouth, low blood pressure and sinus bradycardia. In higher doses symptoms can include loss of cordination, severe and progressive muscular weakness, bradycardia (and, paradoxically, ventricular tachycardia), and nodal rhythm or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Despite the potential cardiac problems the condition is rarely fatal and generally lasts less than a day. Medical intervention is not often needed but sometimes atropine therapy, vasopressors and other agents are used to mitigate symptoms.


Honey from Turkey, Japan, Brazil, United States, Nepal, and British Columbia is most likely to be contaminated with grayanotoxins, although very rarely to toxic levels. Historically the poisoning was associated with the Rhododendron ponticum found around the Black Sea. According to Pliny and later Strabo the locals used the honey against the armies of Xenophon in 401 BCE and later against Pompey in 69 BCE.


  Results from FactBites:
 
Food-Info.net : Overview of food-borne toxins : Grayanatoxin (398 words)
Grayanotoxin (formerly known as andromedotoxin, acetylandromedol, and rhodotoxin) causes ‘honey intoxication'.
Honey intoxication is very rare and is caused by the consumption of honey produced from the nectar of rhododendrons.
Grayanotoxin poisoning most commonly results from the ingestion of grayanotoxin-contaminated honey, although it may result from the ingestion of the leaves, flowers, and nectar of rhododendrons.
US FDA/CFSAN - Bad Bug Book - Grayanotoxin (944 words)
Grayanotoxin (formerly known as andromedotoxin, acetylandromedol, and rhodotoxin)
Honey intoxication is caused by the consumption of honey produced from the nectar of rhododendrons.
The Austrian case shows that with increased travel throughout the world, the risk of grayanotoxin poisoning is possible outside the areas of Ericaceae-dominated vegetation, namely, Turkey, Japan, Brazil, United States, Nepal, and British Columbia.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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