Compound allergy

What is compositae? allergy?

Allergy to compounds refers to contact. allergic reactions caused by a group of plants commonly known as compositas. Compositae is an alternative name for the official term, Asteraceae. The most important Allergens In the Compositae family are sesquiterpene lactones, which are present in the oleoresin fraction of leaf, stem, flower and possibly in pollen.

Compound contact allergy presents as dermatitis in areas exposed to flowers or pollens. It occurs primarily in middle-aged and elderly adults during the summer months, but sex and any age group can be affected and at any time of the year. In some regions, compound dermatitis is called ragweed or parthenium dermatitis. The allergy may be due to direct contact with the plant, its pollen, or skin care products that use plant extracts.

Allergic symptoms have been reported ingested compositae (e.g., from echinacea in medicinal herbs). Case reports have described angioedema, urticaria and systemic contact dermatitis.

What plants are responsible for compositae allergy?

The Compositae family are plants in which the flower heads are a composite of individual flowers. They are also given the name Asteraceae because the flower heads are star-shaped (aster is Greek for star). These plants include about 20,000 species of flowers, herbs, weeds and vegetables, including asters, daisies and sunflowers. They occur throughout the world and are found in gardens, roadsides and in the wild; They represent about 10% of all flowering plants.

Compound extracts are used in current skin treatments, cosmetics, herbal supplements, natural medicines and foods.

How is a compound allergy diagnosed?

Allergy to compounds is diagnosed by patch tests performed on a patient with allergic contact dermatitis. the Base The patch test allergen series usually contains a mixture of sesquiterpene lactone (alantolactone, lactone dehydroxose, costunolide), and may also contain a mixture of compounds.

Related plant allergens include parthenolide and specific extracts prepared from individual plants such as dandelion, tansy, yarrow, feverfew, chamomile, arnica and chrysanthemum. It may be necessary to test several of these allergens to confirm allergy to the compounds. In one study, the sesquiterpene mixture detected 65% and the compound mixture detected 87% in patients allergic to the composition, but individual plant extracts were needed to confirm the diagnosis in all patients. Parthenolide detects 75% from patients allergic to sesquiterpene lactone.

Once someone has become allergic to one of the responsible allergens, their immune system is likely to react to similar chemical structures, resulting insensitization and multiple contact allergies. Therefore, many patients patch positive to one plant extract also test positive to others.

More than one-third of patients with compound allergies also have allergies to fragrances, balsam of Peru, and rosin (colophony). These are also of plant origin.

Other allergens that may be responsible for compound dermatitis include monoterpenes (e.g., pinene, limonene, terpinene, camphor), coumarin, an alcohol sesquiterpene, and thiophene.

What does compound dermatitis look like?

Contact allergy to the compounds in gardeners, farmers, forestry workers or florists can cause severe occupational dermatitis. It can present itself in several ways.

Dermatitis of the hand

Dermatitis may affect only the backs of the hands and/or palms, or is sometimes limited to the tips of the fingers (sometimes called pulpitis) depending on which sites are in contact with the responsible plant. Dermatitis can be vesicular (blisters), which resemble pompholyx, or result in dry red spots.

Air contact dermatitis

Airborne contact dermatitis affects the face, neck, hands and arms or all areas exposed to wind-borne plant pollens. It often causes significant swelling and blistering, as well as redness, dryness, or climbing. the eruption It may vary by season, depending on pollen levels.

Seborrheic model

In the seborrheic pattern of compound allergy, dermatitis is most prominent in skin folds, such as behind the ears, sides of the nose, eyelids, and neck. Pollen may adhere to moist areas of the skin causing more active dermatitis at these sites. the allergen It can be transmitted to these sites through the fingertips.

Erythroderma

When the allergy is severe, the rash may spread to apparently unexposed sites. This can present as erythroderma, a serious condition that affects the entire surface of the skin.

Chronic photosensitivity dermatitis

Patients with chronic actinic dermatitis, or actinic reticuloid, frequently have contact allergy to the compounds in patch tests. They tend to be older men with dermatitis affecting the face, neck and hands. Chronic allergic contact dermatitis in composites is thought to progress slowly to photocontact dermatitis and then to photosensitivity even in the absence of known contact with composites. These patients are exquisitely sensitive to Ultraviolet radiation so that dermatitis appears on skin exposed to sunlight for only a few minutes.

About 20-75% of patients with compound dermatitis are thought to have some degree of photosensitivity.

Nodular prurigo

Bumps similar to those that arise in nodular prurigo have been the result of contact dermatitis with parthenium in some cases.

Stomatitis

If the leaves of the plant are chewed, the lips, tongue and mouth may become inflamed and the mouth ulcers it can happen.

Systemic allergic contact dermatitis

Generalized Systemic contact dermatitis may occur if the allergen is ingested (e.g., drunk as a tea) and may affect oral administration. mucous membrane and anus, as well as the skin. It may be intensely itchy. The rash appears after several hours, reaching a peak two to three days after exposure to the allergen.

A nonspecific dry, red, itchy skin rash has also been reported to appear after inhalation of pollen

Treatment of compound dermatitis.

Compound allergy usually persists throughout life, but dermatitis should disappear once the skin is no longer exposed to the plants responsible for it. Therefore, it is very important to find out which plants in the neighborhood belong to the Asteraceae family to avoid contact with them. Cosmetics and creams containing compound products should not be used. However, the most affected people can safely eat vegetables from the composite family.

Extremely sensitive patients may need to dress fully to protect their skin from airborne pollen when outdoors during pollen season. Wear long gloves when gardening.

Symptomatic treatment depends on the severity, extent and duration of the dermatitis and may include:

• Emollients
• Topical corticosteroids
• Oral antihistamines
• Systemic corticosteroids
• Azathioprine

• Cyclosporine