Buckwheat disease
| Classification according to ICD-10 | |
|---|---|
| L56.8 | Other specified acute skin changes from ultraviolet rays |
| ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019) | |
Buckwheat disease or buckwheat rash , also called fagopyrism ( Latin fagus "beech" and ancient Greek πυρός "wheat"), is a disease that can occur in humans and mammals after copious consumption of unpeeled common buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum ).
In the white and pink flower shells of buckwheat are u. a. Contain fagopyrins , which can also stick to the skin of buckwheat fruits. They are chemically naphthodianthrones to the anthraquinone - derivatives . Similar to the related hypericin , they can have a phototoxic effect, form toxins when exposed to light and increase the sensitivity of exposed areas of the skin to harmful radiation components ( photosensitization ). Photodynamic effects lead to an itchy rash ( urticaria ). In addition, gastrointestinal complaints in the form of nausea, diarrhea and vomiting can occur. Treatment consists of symptomatic measures and protection from further light exposure.
Fagopyrism in animals
The phototoxic effect occurring as fagopyrism in domestic mammals - especially sheep, cattle and pigs - is attributed to the photodynamic effects mediated by excited fagopyrin molecules with the formation of reactive oxygen species (such as 1 O 2 ), which makes the skin more sensitive to light (excitation wavelength 540 -600 nm). It creates a type of sunburn , better known as photodermatitis .
The symptoms of the disease appear on unpigmented areas of the skin. At first there is redness and swelling. As the disease progresses, vesicles and phlegmonous or necrotizing skin inflammation ( dermatitis ) develop . A similar clinical picture can be caused by the ingredients of St. John's wort . In individual cases, other forage plants such as alfalfa , various types of clover, vetches, rape, lupins, knotweed, Sudan grass or spotted milkweed can trigger photosensitivity, although it is not clear whether this is due to damage to the liver (hepatogenic photosensitivity) or an infestation of the plants is due to mushrooms.
Treatment is carried out in the early stages with anti-inflammatory agents ( glucocorticoids , antihistamines ). Covering pastes and ointments are used for severe skin damage. Affected animals should be taken from pasture for the rest of the year to protect them from sunlight.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b E. Tavčar Benković, D. Žigon, M. Friedrich, J. Plavec, S. Kreft: Isolation, analysis and structures of phototoxic fagopyrins from buckwheat. In: Food Chemistry. Volume 143, January 2014, pp. 432-439. PMID 24054263 , doi: 10.1016 / j.foodchem.2013.07.118 .
