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Biochemistry

Periodic Graphics

Periodic Graphics: Porphyria and the vampirism myth

Chemical educator and Compound Interest blogger Andy Brunning pokes holes in the idea that the heme-related disorders inspired the concept of vampires.

by Andy Brunning, special to C&EN
October 24, 2024 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 102, Issue 34
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Most Popular in Biological Chemistry

 

Infographic on porphyria and its historic links with vampirism.
Many sources claim that porphyria, a rare group of disorders, inspired the vampire myth.
Porphyria is a group of genetic disorders. The name comes from porphyrin molecules, which the body uses as building blocks to make heme. Porphyria causes deficiencies in enzymes the body uses to make heme, so in an attempt to maintain sufficient heme production, the body overproduces porphyrins. Porphyrin buildup causes symptoms that vary depending on the type of porphyria. 
Like the vampires of some stories, people with some porphyrias experience skin damage and blistering in sunlight. Accumulated porphyrins in the skin absorb light and generate radicals that cause the damage.
Unlike vampires, people with porphyria needn't fear garlic. Allyl disulfide in garlic boosts the production of an enzyme that breaks down heme, but not sufficiently to be a problem for people with porphyria. 
While mythical vampires crave blood, there's no evidence that drinking blood eases porphyria's symptoms. Most people with porphyria do not need extra heme from external sources. Even if they did, drinking blood would not solve this; intestinal enzymes break down the heme in hemoglobin.
Credit: Andy Brunning

Test your knowledge of the chemistry involved in porphyria, which does not match up with classic vampire tales.

To download a pdf of this article, visit cenm.ag/vampiremyth

References used to create this graphic:

Kakoullis, Loukas, Stylianos Louppides, Eleni Papachristodoulou, and George Panos. “Porphyrias and Photosensitivity: Pathophysiology for the Clinician.” Postgrad. Med.(2018). DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2018.1533380.

Maas, R. P. P. W. M., and P. J. G. M. Voets. “The Vampire in Medical Perspective: Myth or Malady?” QJM (2014). DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcu159.

Maranda, Eric Laurent, Robert Heifetz, William A. Estes, Jacqueline Cortizo, Shahjahan Shareef, and Joaquin J. Jimenez. “Porphyria and Vampirism—a Myth, Sensationalized.” JAMA Dermatol. (September 2016). DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.6066.

Sassa, Shigeru. “The Porphyrias.” Photodermatol., Photoimmunol. Photomed. (2002). DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0781.2002.180202.x.

Winkler, Mary G., and Karl E. Anderson. “Vampires, Porphyria, and the Media: Medicalization of a Myth.” Perspect. Biol. Med. (Summer 1990). DOI: 10.1353/pbm.1990.0051.

A collaboration between C&EN and Andy Brunning, author of the popular graphics blog Compound Interest

To see more of Brunning’s work, go to compoundchem.com. To see all of C&EN’s Periodic Graphics, visit cenm.ag/periodicgraphics.

 

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