The New Straits Times, February 26, 1996
Q: I read recently about the use of nitrofuran in poultry. Please tell me what is nitrofuran and how does it affect human beings?
A: Nitrofuran is a class of drugs that has the ability to kill micro-organisms. The group consists of there drugs, namely nitrofurantion, nitrofurazone and furazolidone. Since 1989, nitorfurazone has been discontinued from being classified as a drug by the US Food and Drug Adminstration.
It has been reported that most nitorfurans are mutagenic and carcinogenic. Nitrofurantion, for example, has been observed to damage the building unit of the cell, namely the deoxyribonucleic acid of bacterial and human cells.
The damage caused to these cells resembled that of ultraviolet irradiation. The DNA damage, however, was noted to be reparable. Since these drugs have been shown to damage DNA synthesis, particular care should be exercised in using these drugs on humans or using foodstuff contaminated by these drugs.
Besides DNA damage, nitrofurans have been reported to cause haemolysis of red blood cells in individuals lacking in glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) enzyme.
The intake of such drugs or foodstuff such as poultry contaminated with these drugs will result in the oxidation of the red blood cells, leading to the rupture of the cells. Once the cells rupture, and individual may experience dizziness, lethargy, headache, vomiting, chills, fever and abdominal pain.
In extreme cases, the presence of red blood cell remnants may be detected in urine and renal failure may occur. Hence, these drugs should be avoided by G-6-PD patients.
