Are one or two dangerous? camphor exposure in toddlers

Love, Jeffrey J.; Sammon, Maura; Smereck, Janet

doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2004.02.010

Cited by 64 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Intoxication with high doses leads to damage in the liver and central nervous system. Death usually occurs with respiratory arrest (2,3). In this article, a twoyear old patient who presented with seizure after ingestion of high dose camphor is presented.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seizures due to high dose camphor ingestion

2015

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Camphor is a cyclic ketone of the hydro aromatic terpene group. Today it is frequently used as a prescription or non-prescription topical antitussive, analgesic, anesthetic and antipruritic agent. Camphor which is considered an innocent drug by parents and physicians is a common household item which can lead to severe poisoning in children even when taken in small amounts. Neurotoxicity in the form of seizures can ocur soon after ingestion. A two-year old female patient who presented with a complaint of generalized tonic-clonic seizures after oral ingestion of camphor is presented. (Turk Pediatri Ars 2015; 50: 248-50)

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seizures due to high dose camphor ingestion

2015

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“…3,26,27 Some clinicians may express caution about using a product that contains camphor because of the association between toxic ingestions and adverse events such as seizures. [28][29][30][31][32] Historical concerns over the toxicity of camphor centered on the ingestion of camphor as a liquid preparation, camphorated oil, 13,33 and a recent report of seizures was associated with ingestion of illegally sold camphor. 28 In contrast with oral ingestion, dermal exposure to camphor, as occurs when following the directions for use of VR, results in low systemic exposure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vapor Rub, Petrolatum, and No Treatment for Children With Nocturnal Cough and Cold Symptoms

2010

PEDIATRICS

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OBJECTIVE-To determine if a single application of a vapor rub (VR) or petrolatum is superior to no treatment for nocturnal cough, congestion, and sleep difficulty caused by upper respiratory tract infection.METHODS-Surveys were administered to parents on 2 consecutive days-on the day of presentation when no medication had been given the previous evening, and the next day when VR ointment, petrolatum ointment, or no treatment had been applied to their child's chest and neck before bedtime according to a partially double-blinded randomization scheme.RESULTS-There were 138 children aged 2 to 11 years who completed the trial. Within each study group, symptoms were improved on the second night. Between treatment groups, significant differences in improvement were detected for outcomes related to cough, congestion, and sleep difficulty; VR consistently scored the best, and no treatment scored the worst. Pairwise comparisons demonstrated the superiority of VR over no treatment for all outcomes except rhinorrhea and over petrolatum for cough severity, child and parent sleep difficulty, and combined symptom score. Petrolatum was not significantly better than no treatment for any outcome. Irritant adverse effects were more common among VR-treated participants.CONCLUSIONS-In a comparison of VR, petrolatum, and no treatment, parents rated VR most favorably for symptomatic relief of their child's nocturnal cough, congestion, and sleep difficulty caused by upper respiratory tract infection. Despite mild irritant adverse effects, VR provided symptomatic relief for children and allowed them and their parents to have a more restful night than those in the other study groups. Commenting on camphor-containing products, in 1994 the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs wrote, "Since alternative agents exist for all indications for camphor therapy, other therapeutic agents that do not contain camphor should be considered." 13 The "alternative agent" for cough and cold symptoms cited by the Committee in 1994, dextromethorphan, was subsequently not recommended by that committee 3 years later in a policy statement on dextromethorphan use. 4 Dextromethorphan continues not to be recommended, 14 and therefore the question of whether clinicians can recommend topical preparations containing camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil for URI symptoms in children requires reevaluation. KeywordsWith no contemporary evidence that supports or refutes the efficacy in children with URIs, this study sought to determine if a single application of a vapor rub (VR) or petrolatum is superior to no treatment for nocturnal cough, congestion, and sleep difficulty caused by URIs. We hypothesized that VR or petrolatum would be superior to no treatment for relief of nocturnal symptoms and that VR would be superior to petrolatum. METHODSFrom October 2008 through February 2010, patients were recruited from a universityaffiliated pediatric practice in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Eligible patients were aged 2 to 11 years with symptoms attributed to URIs...

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“…All these compounds have been obtained from camphor, which has been described in the literature as being toxic for toddlers in doses of around 750 to 1000 mg. 51 Regarding toxicity in adults, the major cause for concern appears to be the endocrine-disrupting ability of 3-and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor derivatives, which are present in UV blockers; methylbenzylidene camphor, which resembles the synthesized camphor phenazine derivative, has been associated with weak estrogenic effects on the reproductive system in rats and with a high inhibition of the pituitarythyroid hormone system, but its ability to bind the estrogen receptor type a appears to be lower than that of other phytoestrogens and xenoestrogens such as genistein, resveratrol, bisphenol A and camphor itself. [52][53][54][55] The synthesized Cl-OH derivative, with an ortho-hydroxyimine-one moiety, could possibly interact with DNA due to the presence of these two groups, but the fact that they are substituents of a bicyclic ring and not of a planar ring is likely to signicantly diminish the importance of this toxic pathway.…”

Section: Biological Assaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Camphor-based CCR5 blocker lead compounds – a computational and experimental approach

et al. 2016

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The C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is a transmembrane receptor that plays a pivotal role as a HIV anchor to human cell membranes, mediating viral entry. CCR5 antagonists, acting by blocking the receptor and preventing its interaction with the HIV proteins, are key agents towards effective anti-viral therapy. This work describes the computational study, synthesis and viral inhibition assay of a number of camphor derivatives as a first step towards new drug leads to block this specific entry pathway. Viral inhibition assays have identified three molecules, camphor carboxylic acid, its tri(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane amide derivative, and an hydroxyl-imide camphor derivative as promising agents to develop new drugs, with IC 50 values (0.16, 0.22 and 1.02 mM, respectively) one order below that of maraviroc (0.02 mM), a clinically used CCR5 antagonist.

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Are one or two dangerous? camphor exposure in toddlers

Cited by 64 publications

References 36 publications

Seizures due to high dose camphor ingestion

Seizures due to high dose camphor ingestion

Vapor Rub, Petrolatum, and No Treatment for Children With Nocturnal Cough and Cold Symptoms

Camphor-based CCR5 blocker lead compounds – a computational and experimental approach

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