TARTRAZINE
--------------------------------------------------


I was wondering if anybody knows if a excipient eg tartrazine can be
considered as a drug? And secondly are there any literature where a drug
eruption was associated with an excipients. This is about a patient of ours
5 y/o f who we diagnosed to have a drug eruption and was biopsy proven. The
only medicine taken was multivitamin syrup. We are trying to see if the
coloring has anything to do with her reaction.
 
Jonathan Yu, MD
---------------


Dr. Yu wondered about tartrazine reactions.  There have been many 
reports, I believe, of reaction to yellow tartrazine...more so some 
years ago.  I don't have the exact references, but be sure that your 
intuition conerning a fixed drug reaction has merit.  

Elliot Puritz
--------------


Jonathan - I don't have the references in front of me but the allergy /ENT
literature talks of the Aspirin triad:  aspirin intolerance, nasal polyps,a
and I believe urticaria.  (I have not pondered this in a long time).  Many
of these cross react with tartrazine, also known here as FD&C Yellow #5. I
wouldn't seperate excipients from "drugs"; some products can serve as both,
flavorings/spices that can retard spoilage.

Daniel Mark Siegel MD, MS
-------------------------


If you have Tang (the powdered orange fruit drink) in the Philippinesyou 
can use this as an oral challenge. It is very high in tartrazine yellow 
dye. 

Haines ELy
----------


Another great tartrazine challenge is Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
If it proves to be a tartrazine sensitiviy, there are several articles in
the literature on tartrazine/salicylate free diets. 

Diane Thaler
------------