Meat tenderizer in the acute treatment of imported fire ant stings.

Abstract

Meat tenderizer containing the proteolytic enzyme papain was tested for therapeutic efficacy in the sting of the imported fire ant. The parameters of pain and itching were used to evaluate qualitatively the sting response in 22 healthy medical students, and the laser Doppler velocimeter was used to assess quantitatively the change in cutaneous blood flow. The results indicated that, during the acute-phase reaction, no clinically or statistically significant difference was found between stings treated with meat tenderizer and stings treated without tenderizer. Therefore we conclude that meat tenderizer is of no therapeutic value in the acute treatment of the imported fire ant sting.

• Authors: E V Ross Jr, A J Badame, S E Dale
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (J Am Acad Dermatol) Vol. 16 Issue 6 Pg. 1189-92 (Jun 1987) ISSN: 0190-9622 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3597861 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Drug Combinations
• Sodium, Dietary
• meat tenderizer
• Sodium Chloride
• Papain

Topics

• Animals
• Ants
• Drug Combinations (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Insect Bites and Stings (drug therapy)
• Papain (therapeutic use)
• Regional Blood Flow
• Skin (blood supply)
• Sodium Chloride (therapeutic use)
• Sodium, Dietary