PEMPHIGUS AND DIETARY FACTORS - IN-VITRO ACANTHOLYSIS BY ALLYL COMPOUNDS OF THE GENUS ALLIUM

Background: Today it is generally accepted that every drug that posses ses an active thiol group in its molecule is capable of inducing pemph igus in vivo and provoking acantholysis in vitro, We therefore suggest ed that plants, in particular those belonging to the Allium group, tha t contain several active compounds with stable disulfide and thiol gro ups in their molecule may cause the same, Objective: To verify this hy pothesis by investigating the in vitro acantholytic effect of three co mpounds of garlic. Methods: Skin samples from donors were cultured in the presence of three compounds of garlic (i.e. allylmercaptan, allylm ethylsulfide and allylsulfide) for 3 days. The skin samples were then processed for microscopic control for acantholysis. Results: Results i ndicate that, indeed, the three garlic compounds tested are capable of inducing acantholysis in vitro, Focal and diffuse acantholysis was ob served in the specimens from 4 out of 7 donors cultured in the presenc e of 6 and 9 mM of each of the allyl compounds for 3 days. Interesting ly, tissues from a DR4+ donor proved to be more acantholysis prone tha n others, showing large blistering due to diffuse acantholysis, thus i ndicating that individual susceptibility plays a crucial role also in vitro. Conclusions: Garlic compounds with stable disulfide and thiol g roups in their molecule are capable of inducing acantholysis in vitro. These findings lend further support to the theory that 'harmless' nut ritional factors are capable of inducing acantholysis in vitro and pos sibly also in vivo. In view of these findings, it is suggested that nu tritional factors should be added to the ever-growing list of exogenou s factors capable of inducing pemphigus.