Oral provocation of patients allergic to sesquiterpene lactones with German chamomile tea to demonstrate possible systemic allergic dermatitis

• Background: Most patients with contact allergy to Asteraceae plants are patch test positive to sesquiterpene lactone mix (SLM). There are several reports among these patients of a flare-up of hand eczema after ingestion of food and beverages originating from Asteraceae plants. Aim: To investigate whether German chamomile tea can elicit systemic allergic dermatitis. Patients and Methods: Individuals with or without contact allergy to SLM were patch tested with an extract of German chamomile tea. Six weeks later, they were provoked with capsules containing either freeze-dried German chamomile tea or placebo capsules containing lactose, in a double-blind, randomized study. A numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to ascertain the volunteers' opinion of their hand eczema status. The study individuals were examined to detect a possible flare-up of healed patch test reactions to chamomile. Results: None of the subjects had a flare-up of healed patch test reactions. According to the NRS, SLM-positive individuals experienced a significant worsening of hand eczema, independently of whether they received chamomile or lactose capsules. Conclusion: No evidence suggestive of systemic allergic dermatitis was found.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Dermatologi och venereologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Asteraceae

Compositae

contact allergy

delayed hypersensitivity

flare-up

patch testing

pompholyx

sesquiterpene lactone mix

systemic allergic dermatitis

vesicular hand eczema

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)