See also separate article Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase
Deficiency. Favism describes the susceptibility to, and clinical
presentation of, acute haemolytic crises as a consequence of
eating broad beans in a subgroup of patients with
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. It can be
potentially life-threatening. Broad beans are derived from the
plant Vicia fava - hence, the condition's name. Susceptible
patients may also experience the syndrome when exposed to the
plant's pollen. G6PD is crucial in maintaining red cell
homeostasis and its deficiency leads to increased susceptibility
to haemolysis induced by drugs, infections and substances in
food. There are a huge number of polymorphisms of the gene with
variable effects on the activity of the enzyme and a wide range
of phenotypic susceptibility to haemolysis. The gene for
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is located on the X
chromosome; hence, it is an X-linked inherited disease that
primarily affects men. It can have clinical effects