Plants containing allergens:
1. Poison ivy (skin
allergy)
Toxicodendron
radicans commonly known as poison ivy is a poisonous
flowering plant mostly found in North America and in some regions of Asia. This
plant may grow as a vine or as an erect shrub. Some other species of this
family also contain allergens like poison oak and poison sumac.
This plant is known for
causing an itching, irritating and painful rash called as urishol-induced-dermatitis
or Rhus dermatitis, which is caused by a plant sap or oil called as urushiol.
This resinous sap material is composed of catechols with have either a 13 or
15-C side chain.
Symptoms
The rash produced by
coming in contact with the oil or sap of urushiol produces
·
blisters
·
severe redness of skin
·
inflammation
Mode
of action
Urushiol has indirect
toxic effects as urushiol reacts, binds and changes the shape of the integral
membrane proteins in the skin. These proteins act as antigens and trigger the
immunological response which attacks the derivatives of urushiol bound to the
skin proteins which produces rash.
Treatment
These lesions can be
treated with
·
Medication
·
Calamine lotion
·
Baking soda
·
A Jewelweed mash made
from the living plant was proven to be effective in reducing the effects of
poison ivy dermatitis.
People sensitive from
poison ivy can also get a minor rash from mangoes because they also belong to
the family of poison ivy and mangoes also contain a compound in their sap whose
nature is similar to that of urushiol.
2.
Peanuts (food allergy)
Arachis hypogaea
(peanut), is a species in the legume or "bean" family. Peanuts
or ground nuts are the most common cause of food allergy. Peanut allergy is
known as the most severe food allergy due its extensive prevalence, persistency
and potential severity of allergic reactions. Peanut plant is an annual
herbaceous plant growing 30-50 cm tall. Flowers are pea-shaped and yellow in
color. It is abundantly cultivated in China, India and America.
Mode of action
Symptoms of peanut
allergy are due to the activation of immune system which results in the action
of Immunoglobin E (IgE), acts to release histamine and other related mediated
substances by the degradation of mast cells. It has also been found out that
roasting the peanuts causes the peanut allergen to become stronger inhibitor of
digestive enzyme.
Symptoms
·
Mild Pruritus
·
Urticaria
·
Angiodema
·
Facial swelling
·
Rhinitis
·
Vomiting
·
Diarrhea
·
Acute abdominal
pain
·
Exacerbation of atopic
eczema
·
Asthma
·
Cardiac
arrest
·
Anaphylaxis
·
Vasodilation of arterioles
·
Bronchospasm
Treatment
The principle treatment
for this allergy is the administration of epinephrine and antihistamines. Other
methods for treatment include oral desensitization, subcutaneous immunotherapy,
sublingual immunotherapy desensitization and epicutaneous immunotherapy
desensitization.
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