MULLED WINE PREPARED WITH JAPANESE STAR ANISE INDUCED A TRANSITORY PHENOTYPE OF IDIOPATHIC GENERALIZED EPILEPSY
Abstract number :
3.052
Submission category :
Year :
2002
Submission ID :
3371
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2002 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2002, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Annne Thibault-Menard, Gabriel Rudolf, Maria-Paola Valenti, Ahmed Bouarazza, Frederic Blanc, Jean-Marie Warter, Edouard Hirsch. Epilepsy Unit, Neurology, Strasbourg, Alsace, France
RATIONALE: Anisatrin is a toxic sesquiterpene isolated from the seeds and carpels of the Japanese star anise (Illicum anisatum L.). It is a potent noncompetitive antagonist at GABA-dependant neurons in mammals, where it possesses a picrotoxin-like mechanism of action. We report to our knowledge the first two patients with a transitory phenotype of idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE)related to anisatrin ingestion present in mulled wine prepared with Japanese star anise.
METHODS: Two patients aged of 33 and 24 years without personal and familial history of epilepsy, were admitted for a first generalized tonic-clonic seizures associated to vomiting in one case less than 24 hours after mulled wine ingestion. MRI, biological screening, Video-EEG were perform immediately and one month later.
RESULTS: MRI and biological screening were normal. Early EEG showed asymptomatic brief generalized spike-waves discharges mimicking IGE phenotype. Sleep and awakening EEG perform one month later without any treatment were normal.
CONCLUSIONS: Following a generalized tonic-clonic seizure even with an EEG pattern of IGE an intoxication with Japanese star anise should be seek. Further animal studies are necessary to define the EEG phenotype of Anisatrin intoxication.
Kakemoto E. et al, Biochem Pharmacol,1999; 58,617-621