Cardiovascular adverse health effect of occupational exposure to Licorice dust

Introduction: Prolonged use of licorice is known to cause headaches hypertension cardiac arrhythmias edema lethargy shortness of breath sodium retention and loss of potassium in healthy people. However to best of authors' knowledge to date the potential adverse health effects of occupational inhalation exposure to licorice dust have not been examined. This study was therefore under look to address this issue. Methods: In this cross-sectional study the individuals (30 workers) occupationally exposed to licorice dust at a licorice-producing plant in Shiraz were recruited. Similarly 30 healthy male unexposed employees at a telecommunication industry with identical demographic and socioeconomic substance served as control group. A pre-designed questionnaire was completed for both groups. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Additionally they underwent electrocardiography clinical examination and blood chemistry test. To assess the extent to which subjects had been exposed to licorice dust atmospheric concentrations of this aerosol were also measured in the plant. Data were statistically analyzed using INSTAT software. Results: While there was no significant differences between exposed and control group as far as demographic variables are concerned mean values for systolic and diastolic blood pressure of exposed subjects were significantly higher than those of the control subjects. Similarly blood analysis revealed that serum concentrations of potassium ion as well as platelet counts were significantly lower in exposed subjects than controls. Analysis of the questionnaires also demonstrated that symptoms such as headache lethargy and vertigo were more common in exposed subjects. No abnormal changes in electrocardiographs were noted in both the groups. Conclusion: Collectively our findings provide evidence in favor of the notion that inhalation exposure to high concentrations of licorice dust is associated with higher prevalence of headache lethargy and vertigo as well as raised blood pressure and hypokalemia. Although none of these changes reached to a level with pathological significance. Additionally these findings indicate that licorice induces mild thrombocypenia