TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - No camphor toxicity in Cambodian infants
JO  - Global pediatric health
A1  - Johnson, Casey R.
A1  - Porter, Samuel G.
A1  - Coats, Debra
A1  - Whitfield, Kyly C.
A1  - Mengkheang, Khin
A1  - Topazian, Mark D.
A1  - Fischer, Philip R.
SP  - 2333794X17702980
EP  - 2333794X17702980
VL  - 4
IS  - 
N2  - Thiamine deficiency and beriberi are prevalent in Cambodia, although most infants with nonspecific clinical symptoms of beriberi, including tachypnea, lack echocardiographic evidence diagnostic of the disease. Camphor activates transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3), a nonselective ion channel expressed in the medial preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus and thought to be important for thermo-sensitivity. Because camphorated ointments are used commonly among Cambodian infants, we hypothesized that topical camphor modulates thermoregulatory behaviors, causing beriberi-simulating tachypnea, separate from any influence of thiamine deficiency. We assessed 9 tachypneic and 10 healthy infants for Tiger Balm use and for presence of camphor in whole blood. However, no camphor was found in blood from any infants, indicating that camphor is unrelated to tachypneic illness in Cambodian infants.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2333-794X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2333794X17702980
ID  - ref1
ER  -