Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is a common inherited enzymatic disorder which dated as far back as the 5th Century BC. It has been described as various anaemic conditions in the past like Baghdad anaemia and favism, a sensitivity to pollens and broad beans respectively. The sufferers often show signs of jaundice, with dark and often black urine. 1. 2.Many illnesses are now attributed to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
Currently an estimated 200 to 400 million people are affected by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency world-wide. 3. 4.It is most prevalent in populations originating from most parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and southern Europe. 5.Not much was understood until the early 1950's when a big US Army funded research was carried out to determine the cause of a drug related sensitivity in up to 15% of the black soldiers. 1.The drug involved was primaquine, an antimalarial which was introduced in 1926 (Figure 1). 6.One of the researchers, Carson discovered that red blood cells from the drug-sensitive patients were deficient in the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme. 1.Most of our understanding in the manifestation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency today is still on its haemolytic effects on the red blood cells. The potential harm associated with the administration of drugs in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient individuals is of particular importance from the pharmaceutical point of view.
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Prepared on 01 Jan 2008 by teekoonhien |
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