Lung injury related to consuming Sauropus androgynus (katuk) vegetable - case series from 1990's

Taking Sauropus androgynus (katuk), a traditional Malaysian food, to reduce weight began as a fad in Taiwan in 1994. Some advocates of this fad developed pulmonary dysfunction. Consumption of S androgynus can result in moderate to severe obstructive ventilatory defect within 7 months, and the disorder was irreversible in the observation period for 22 months.

From July 1995 to November 1995, researchers investigated 104 nonsmoking patients (one male and 103 females) with chest roentgenography, pulmonary function, test, and Technetium 99m-labeled diethylene triamine penta-acetate (Tc-99m DTPA) radioaerosol inhalation lung scintigraphy.

Among the 90 patients receiving Tc-99m DTPA inhalation lung scan, 46 (51.1%) patients had increased clearance of Tc-99m DTPA from lung and 20 (22.2%) patients had inhomogeneous deposition of the submicronic radioaerosol. Eighteen (18/100) patients had obstructive ventilatory impairment in pulmonary function test. Analyzing the results, we found that the patients with respiratory symptoms (n = 42) took more vegetables (p = 0.016), had increased clearance of Tc-99m DTPA and had lower FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75, VC and DLCO than the patients without respiratory symptoms (n = 62). FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were significantly reduced in patients with severe impairment of alveolar permeability. The cumulative dosage and duration of exposure were significantly associated with the reduction of FEV1 and FEV1/FVC.

The lung injury after taking Sauropus androgynus involves alveoli and/or small airways and is manifest as obstructive ventilatory impairment with inhomogeneous aerosol distribution and increased lung epithelial permeability.

Papaverine has been previously identified in this vegetable but is unlikely to be responsible for the full range of toxicity seen.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9140317
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8632498
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24120153
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9440571
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/145/9/842.long

http://www.ticotimes.net/2009/06/19/katuk-a-hardy-spinach-substitute
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/01/12/0000019289