SHORT FEATURE Fruit: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Aditya Rao SJ

CUTE Encephalitis Syndrome fruits like mango and grapes still Taxonomical classification (AES) is a type of brain fever dominate the domestic and export Awhere a part of the brain trade. Though lychee is widely grown, Kingdom: Plantae becomes inflamed and the symptoms it still has many unexplored potentials Clade: Angiosperms appear to be similar to fever. Though in both domestic and global market. Clade: lychee fruits are consumed throughout As it has high demand in the Middle Clade: the world due to their rich chemical East countries, an appropriate boost Order: composition and nutraceutical to its foreign export can generate a Family: properties, in the past decade several remarkable economic gain. Subfamily: Sapindoideae speculations have come out connecting Genus: Litchi AES to the consumption of lychee fruit, Health Benefits Species: L. chinensis mainly by children below 10 years of Studies have suggested that a low Binomial name: Litchi chinensis age, leading to fatal outcomes. molecular weight polyphenol called Lychee (litchi) is a tropical tree oligonol is abundantly found in Association with Health belonging to the Sapindaceae or lychee fruits and is responsible for its Complications soapberry family which consists of antioxidant and anti-influenza virus Lately, lychee fruit has become over 2,000 species and 150 genera. It activity. Image source: Britannica Encyclopedia (2007) is a medium-sized tree that can grow up associated with some health Like citrus fruits, lychee is also a to 40 to 50 feet in height. Lychee can complications associated with its also be grown as a source of food and good source of vitamin C, consumption consumption which have even led even for ornamental purposes. of which helps the human body to to death. Recent researches have develop resistance against several mentioned the presence of a chemical Growth and Export infectious agents. It is also a good methylene cyclopropyl glycine in lychee source of vitamin B-complex and many The total production of lychee fruits which can cause hypoglycemia minerals like potassium and copper worldwide was estimated to be around (abnormally low blood sugar). Its 2.11 million tons, of which more than which have a major role in controlling consumption was also associated with 95% of the production area is shared by heart-related problems. encephalopathy (disorder or disease of Asian countries majorly China, India, Apart from the lychee fruit, its peel the brain) also known as chamki bukhar Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. China and seeds have also attracted attention in local language from patients majorly and India together account for 91% of due to the presence of many beneficial residing in the Northern part of India. the world’s total lychee production as substances that exhibit antioxidant, Deaths due to the consumption of well as productivity. cancer preventive, antimicrobial, and lychee fruits have been reported regu- In India due to soil and climatic anti-inflammatory effects. larly in India especially in Bihar and limitations, lychee production is limited Lychee fruit contains a high West Bengal. The affected individuals to Bihar, Tripura, West Bengal, Uttar amount of carbohydrates and fibres mainly belong to the age group of less Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana states and low amounts of lipids and proteins than 10 years. among which Bihar dominates with (Table 1). Several reports have shown These outbreaks are suspected to 44.5% of the total lychee production a series of health benefits of lychee be associated with Acute Encephalitis in India. fruits including antioxidant, cancer Syndrome (AES) or Japanese India being the second-largest preventive, antimicrobial, anti- Encephalitis (JE) commonly referred producer in the world next to China, inflammatory activities, and so on. to as brain fever. Early symptoms of

30 | Science Reporter | April 2020 Table 1: Major nutrient composition in Lychee fruit (Source: USDA, 2019)

% Daily Nutrition Nutrition % Daily Value Reported Deaths due to lychee Value fruit consumption in India Total Fat 0.4 g 0% Vitamin A 0% 2013 - 143 Saturated fat 0.1 g 0% Calcium 0% 2014- 355 2015 - 11 Polyunsaturated fat 0.1 g Vitamin D 0% Monounsaturated 2016 - 04 0.1 g Cobalamin 0% fat 2017 - 11 Cholesterol 0 mg 0% Vitamin C 119% 2018 - 07 Sodium 1 mg 0% Iron 1% 2019- 152 Potassium 171 mg 4% Vitamin B-6 5% Since 2010, 1,350 children have died in Muzaffarpur of Carbohydrate 17 g 5% Magnesium 2% Bihar due to suspected AES. Dietary fiber 1.3 g 5% Source: National Centre for Per cent Daily Values are based Sugar 15 g Disease Control (NCDC). on a 2,000 calorie diet Protein 0.8 g 1%

AES are visible within a few minutes to and illness and ruled out the role of suggested that the hypoglycemia or low hours which can be similar to those of infectious pathogen, pesticide, and blood sugar is due to the natural toxins flu, with high temperature or headache. heavy metal relating to the cause of present in unripe lychee fruits and can With delay in taking treatment illness suggesting that routinely washing be a contributing factor for these deaths. measures, the symptoms may worsen fruit or vegetables was not directly The toxins reduce or even disappear on leading to seizures, paralysis and even related to a toxin or infectious agent. the maturation of the fruit. coma. Though lychee being The cause may be associated with Preventive Measures hypoglycemic, its consumption by adults the ingestion of phytotoxins present The most appropriate preventive does not cause serious health problems in lychee fruit, specifically alpha- measure is providing safe drinking due to the presence of abundant glucose (methylene cyclopropyl) glycine, the water and proper sanitation facilities. reserves but consumption by glucose- lower homologue of the neurotoxic There is also a need to improve the deficient children will further deplete L-amino acid hypoglycin. Apart from nutritional status of children at risk of the leftover sugar and sustenance of AES, anaphylactic reactions have also JE/AES. such hypoglycemic state followed been reported after the consumption of As per Govt of India guidelines, by extended sleep during the night lychee fruit. Anaphylaxis is a serious two doses of JE vaccines are to be becomes fatal for children. So, even allergic reaction that is rapid in onset given with UIP and measles vaccines to though lychee fruit has enormous health and may lead to death. children below 9 months and the next benefits, its consumption with lower The consumption of lychee fruits dose with DPT booster at the age of 16- sugar content in the body may lead to has also been linked to hypoglycemia. 24 months. serious health complications sometimes The fruits and seeds contain hypoglycin The National Family Health even leading to death. A and Methylene Cyclopropyl-glycin Survey (2015-16) states almost half of (MCPG), compounds that inhibit the the children fewer than five in Bihar, Acknowledgement synthesis of glucose and can cause particularly Muzaffarpur, are stunted, The author thanks Director, CSIR- acute hypoglycemia. These chemicals almost 60 per cent are anaemic, and CFTRI; Dr Ramesh SR, Professor are found in higher concentration in more than 40 per cent are underweight. (Retd.), Department of Studies in unripe fruits, and their effects seem It is well known that Acute Encephalitis Zoology, University of Mysore; to be compounded in undernourished Syndrome (AES) appears in a population and Dr Nandini P. Shetty, Principal children or when consumed after a consisting of undernourished children Scientist, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru for period of fasting. who are already having a deficiency of their support. The author also thanks Asthana and team made a study sugar in their body. Consumption of DST-SERB for extending their support on the effect of ingestion of the lychee unripe or semi-ripe lychee pulp along for the project: PDF/2018/00237 seeds and reported a dose-dependent with seeds by such undernourished toxic hypoglycemic encephalopathy children worsened the situation Dr Aditya Rao SJ, National Post Doctoral in undernourished children in resulting into acute hypoglycemic Muzaffarpur, Bihar. A case-control Fellow (SERB-NPDF), Dept of encephalopathy. Cell Biotechnology, CSIR-Central study reported in the journal The Lancet The scientific panel on sampling Food Technological Research Institute justified the significant epidemiological and analysis at FSSAI (Food Safety (CFTRI), Mysuru-570020, Karnataka. association between lychee consumption and Standards Authority of India) Email: [email protected]

April 2020 | Science Reporter | 31