Case study of severe hemolysis from henna exposure in an 8-year-old female with G6PD deficiency, indicating risk associated with certain plant-based dyes.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a sex-linked chromosomal disorder, is the most common enzymopathy in humans. This enzyme, which protects red blood cells, when deficient, predisposes individuals to hemolysis under oxidative stress. Several chemicals and drugs have been commonly known to cause hemolysis in G6PD deficiency. However, an uncommon substance, henna, a plant-based dye used in Africa and Asia, has also been described to trigger hemolysis in G6PD-deficient individuals. It shares similarities in the structural ring and properties with other well-described G6PD hemolytic agents. We present a rare case of severe intravascular hemolysis following topical henna application in an 8-year-old girl with G6PD deficiency, successfully managed at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Ghana.
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Dike et al. (2025) studied this question.
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