Suspected anaphylactic reaction to Cremophor EL.

There have been several reports of anaphylactoid reactions to the intravenous anaesthetic drugs Althesin (alphaxalone and alphadolone) and propanidid (Epontol).' The culprit in some of these reactions may have been Cremophor EL, a surfactant common to both drug formulations. Cremophor EL is produced by the epoxylation of castor oil and is actually a complex mixture of compounds. We report a case in which the clinical and laboratory evidence indicated that Cremophor EL was the cause of an anaphylactic (antibodymediated) response.