title: 2,4-Dinitrophenol: a threat to Chinese body-conscious groups.
abstract: 2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), a yellowish compound, has historically been used in the manufacture of dyes, explosives, and fungicides. As it uncouples mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, the compound was also used as an antiobesity agent early in the past century. The compound was subsequently banned by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1938 due to its potentially fatal adverse effects, including hyperthermia, cataract, agranulocytosis, hepatoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity. However, the popularity of 2,4-DNP as a slimming aid has appeared to increase again in recent years. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory recently confirmed two cases of self-administered 2,4-DNP with different clinical presentations to hospitals in the area. Here we describe those two cases, in an attempt to underscore the potential of misuse of this substance by body-conscious groups among the Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Han Chih Hencher
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Chun Yiu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Mo Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ying Hoo
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Albert Yan Wo
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: makwl@ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: Tony Wing Lai
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mak
mesh_terms: D019297:2,4-Dinitrophenol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D019297:2,4-Dinitrophenol
keywords: 2,4-dinitrophenol; bodybuilding; slimming; uncoupling agents