Tung oil

Exposure to tung oil has been implicated as a potential trigger for the development of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). While not considered a major cause of the illness, it is believed that tung oil exposure may be the cause of some individual cases.

Tung oil, also known as China wood oil, is a drying oil extracted from the nut of the tung tree. It is commonly used as a wood finisher for furniture and other products, as well as on stone surfaces such as granite or marble.

Theory

 * Dr Paul Cheney has said that tung oil may reactivate the mono virus that is latent in 90-percent of adults.


 * Richard Van Konynenburg describes tung oil as a toxin that can conjugate glutathione and remove it from the body.


 * Dr Jay Goldstein has noted that many of his ME/CFS patients became ill after exposure to tung oil. He has theorised that inhaled tung oil may cause CFS through overstimulation of Protein kinase C.


 * Dr Carol Jessop reported that most of her patients had been exposed to tung oil.

Evidence

 * Tung oil is known to potently reactivate Epstein-Barr virus. The phorbol ester HHPA in tung oil reactivates EBV.


 * Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus Infection. J F Jones, and S E Straus. Annual Review of Medicine. Vol. 38: 195-209 (Volume publication date February 1987). DOI: 10.1146/annurev.me.38.020187.001211