Ackee
OTHER NAME(S): Ackée, Akée, Akí, Anjye, Arbre Fricasse, Arbre à Fricassée, Daki, Gwanja, Ishin, Isin, Jakí, Kaha, Kusa, Okpu, Ris de Veau, Seso Vegetal, Blighia sapida, Cupania sapida, Aki, Akee
Overview
Ackee (Blighia sapida) is an evergreen tree that makes fruit. Ripe ackee fruit is commonly eaten as food in Jamaica. Unripe ackee fruit is poisonous.
The ripe ackee fruit contains fatty acids. The unripe ackee fruit contains poisonous chemicals that can cause dangerously low blood sugar, liver damage, and death. Most ackee products have been banned from import into the US due to concerns about poisoning from the unripe fruit.
People use ackee for many conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any use. Eating unripe ackee fruit is unsafe.
Uses
We currently have no information for Ackee overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: The ripe ackee fruit is commonly eaten as a food. It's usually well-tolerated. But consuming the unripe ackee fruit is unsafe, even if it has been cooked. The unripe fruit contains poisonous chemicals that can cause dangerously low blood sugar, liver damage, severe vomiting, and death.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: The ripe ackee fruit is commonly eaten as a food. It's usually well-tolerated. But consuming the unripe ackee fruit is unsafe, even if it has been cooked. The unripe fruit contains poisonous chemicals that can cause dangerously low blood sugar, liver damage, severe vomiting, and death.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Unripe ackee fruit is unsafe when consumed while pregnant or breast-feeding. There isn't enough reliable information to know if the ripe ackee fruit is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Children: It is unsafe for children to consume unripe ackee fruit. Children are more sensitive to the toxic effects of ackee than adults. There isn't enough reliable information to know whether the ripe fruit is safe for children to eat.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Ackee overview.
Dosing
The ripe ackee fruit is commonly eaten as food in Jamaica. As medicine, there isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of ackee might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
The unripe ackee fruit contains poisonous chemicals and is unsafe. Avoid use.
References
- Anon. Toxic hypoglycemic syndrome - Jamaica, 1989-91. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1992;41:53-5.
- Sherratt HS, Turnbull DM. Methylene blue and fatal encephalopathy from ackee fruit poisoning. Lancet 1999;353:1623-4.
- Lebo DB, Ditto AM, Boxer MB, et al. Anaphylaxis to ackee fruit. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1996;98:997-8.
- Meda HA, Diallo B, Buchet JP, et al. Epidemic of fatal encephalopathy in preschool children in Burkina Faso and consumption of unripe ackee (Blighia sapida) fruit. Lancet 1999:13;353:536-40.
- McTague JA, Forney R Jr. Jamaican vomiting sickness in Toledo, Ohio. Ann Emerg Med 1994;23:1116-8.
- Golden KD, Williams OJ, Bailey-Shaw Y. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of amino acids in ackee fruit with emphasis on the toxic amino acid hypoglycin A. J Chromatogr Sci 2002;40:441-6.
- Larson J, Vender R, Camuto P. Cholestatic jaundice due to ackee fruit poisoning. Am J Gastroenterol 1994;89:1577-8.
- FDA Import Alert #IA2111. Detention Without Physical Examination Of Ackees (All Types) Due To Contamination By Natural Toxins. Issued on 7/3/00. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia2111.html
- Ware, G. M. Method validation study of hypoglycin A determination in ackee fruit. J.AOAC Int. 2002;85(4):933-937.
- Kean, E. A. Selective inhibition of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases by a metabolite of hypoglycin. Biochim.Biophys.Acta 1-23-1976;422(1):8-14.
- Escoffery, C. T. and Shirley, S. E. Fatal poisoning in Jamaica: a coroner's autopsy study from the University Hospital of the West Indies. Med.Sci.Law 2004;44(2):116-120.
- Blake, O. A., Bennink, M. R., and Jackson, J. C. Ackee (Blighia sapida) hypoglycin A toxicity: Dose response assessment in laboratory rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2006;44(2):207-213.
- Joskow, R., Belson, M., Vesper, H., Backer, L., and Rubin, C. Ackee fruit poisoning: an outbreak investigation in Haiti 2000-2001, and review of the literature. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2006;44(3):267-273.
- Borison, H. L., Pendleton, J., Jr., and McCarthy, L. E. Central vs. systemic neurotoxicity of hypoglycin (ackee toxin) and related substance in the cat. J.Pharmacol.Exp.Ther. 1974;190(2):327-333.
- McIntosh, R. M. and Andrews, J. Blighia sapida. Toxic effects on renal morphology and function in rat. N Y.State J Med 7-1-1971;71(13):1639-1643.
- Golden, K. D., Kean, E. A., and Terry, S. I. Jamaican vomiting sickness: a study of two adult cases. Clin.Chim.Acta 10-15-1984;142(3):293-298.
- Wenz, A., Thorpe, C., and Ghisla, S. Inactivation of general acyl-CoA dehydrogenase from pig kidney by a metabolite of hypoglycin A. J Biol.Chem 10-10-1981;256(19):9809-9812.
- Odutuga, A. A., Asemoto, H. N., Musac, I., Golden, K. D., and Kean, E. A. Jamaican Ackee. Jamaican Journal of Science and Technology 1992;3:30-32.
- Katibi OS, Olaosebikan R, Abdulkadir MB, Ogunkunle TO, Ibraheem RM, Murtala R. Ackee fruit poisoning in eight siblings: implications for public health awareness. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015;93(5):1122-3.
- Adekola MB, Areola JO, Fagbohun OF, et al. In-vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol stem-bark extract of Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig. J Pharm Anal 2022;12(2):350-354.