Background and objectives: Mugwort pollen is one of the major causative allergens in this country. There have been a few reports suggesting a significant association between mugwort pollen and food allergens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the allergenic relationship between mugwort pollen and food allergens based upon skin prick tests. Material and method: Of 2,909 allergy patients who had been skin tested to identify causative allergens at the Allergy Clinic of Ajou University Hospital, 471 patients sensitized to mugwort, ragweed, or Hop Japanese pollens on skin prick test (2+ of A/H ratio) were enrolled for this study. Positive rates to common inhalant or food allergens and their allergenic relationships with other pollens or food allergens were analyzed based upon skin prick test results. RESULTS: The positive rates (2+ of A/H) to nettle, rye grass, Bermuda grass, birch, and alder pollens were significantly higher in those sensitized to mugwort pollen than in those of negative responders (p<0.05, respectively). In regard to food allergens, positive rates to celery (15.3%) and carrot (14.5%) were significantly higher in patients sensitized to mugwort pollen (p<0.05, respectively). Significant association was noted between mugwort pollen and celery allergen (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Positive response to mugwort pollen can be associated with celery and carrot sensitivity on skin prick tests.
Allergens* ; Alnus ; Ambrosia ; Apium graveolens* ; Artemisia* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Betula ; Cynodon ; Daucus carota* ; Humans ; Humulus ; Hypersensitivity* ; Lolium ; Pollen* ; Skin Tests ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Pollen grains have been reported to be present in the Philippine atmosphere but studies regarding their allergenicity are limited. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to profile the sensitization of allergic individuals to selected grass pollen species and to characterize the pollen proteins that may be responsible for this allergenic response. METHODS: The protein profile of the grass pollen extracts from Cynodon dactylon, Saccharum spontaneum, Sporobulus indicus, Chloris barbata, Oryza sativa, Imperata cylindrica, and Zea mays was analyzed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. The specific-IgE profile of the allergic individuals and the allergenic potential of the pollen extracts were evaluated through Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay and IgE immunoblotting. RESULTS: Sensitization of the allergic individuals to the pollen extracts was detected with I. cylindrica and O. sativa to be the most frequently recognized with more that 92% reactivity, whereas for C. dactylon and Z. mays, were found to have less than 25% reactivity. CONCLUSION: Multiple IgE-binding proteins from S. indicus, S. spontaneum and C. barbata that were detected may be responsible for the allergic reactions among Filipino subjects.
Atmosphere ; Cynodon ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Oryza ; Philippines ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Saccharum ; Sodium ; Zea mays

Cynodon dactylon. Twenty-four Wistar rats were selected and divided into four groups: control, induced, treatment, and referral. PCOS was induced in all groups except controls by giving letrozole through oral gavage for 21 days. After inducing PCOS, the referral and treatment group were treated for PCOS with metformin and C. dactylon respectively for next 21 days. Vaginal smear of all the groups were taken every day from day one and screened for estrous cycle. The body mass of the animals was measured on days 1, 21, and 42. Animals were sacrificed after 24 hours of the last dose and the reproductive organs were dissected out and weighed. Results of the study show the estrous cycle begins to revert after 1-week administration of C. dactylon; while the changes were slower in referral group. There was a rapid decrease in the body mass as well as reproductive organs among the treatment and referral group compared to that of induced and control. Finding of this study suggests that C. dactylon treats PCOS better than metformin.]]>
Animals ; Cynodon ; Estrous Cycle ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Hypothalamus ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Menstrual Cycle ; Metformin ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Referral and Consultation ; Vaginal Smears

BACKGROUND: Grass pollen grains are important causes of respiratory allergies. The Philippines has a different grass flora compared to that of western countries, so pollen extracts have to be processed for use in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory allergies. The local pollen extracts available in clinical practice have not yet been characterized, which is important in improving extract quality.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to perform physicochemical characterization through protein content determination and gradient sodium-dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of extracts from four grasses: Cynodon dactylon (bermuda grass), Axonopus compressus (carabao grass), Imperata cylindrica (cogon), and Saccharum spontaneum (talahib) and immunologic characterization by identifying its IgE-binding component through immunoblot.
METHODS: This is a descriptive study. The pollen grains were processed into allergen extracts and protein contents were determined. The extracts were separated by gradient SDS-PAGE and subjected to immunoblotting. Bands were visualized using Fluorchem C2 aided with Alpha View Software.
RESULTS: Total protein in the pollen extracts ranged from 281.3-968.61 µg/ml. Protein bands of bermuda were in the 14.4-66.3 kDa range, carabao grass at 3.5-66.3 kDa, cogon at 3.5-200 kDA, and talahib at 21.5-66.3 kDa. A single IgE-binding protein band was seen on immunoblot at 55.4 kDa using a single serum sample.
CONCLUSION: Protein contents of the allergen extracts vary. The molecular weights of the different protein bands seem to correspond to known groups of grass pollen allergens. There was only one IgE-binding protein band seen on preliminary immunoblot.

Allergens ; Bermuda ; Cynodon ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Galectin 3 ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E ; Molecular Weight ; Philippines ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Respiratory Hypersensitivity ; Saccharum ; Sodium ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

Pollen reactivity in respiratory allergic diseases has recently increased in Korea. According to changes in allergen sensitization over the last 30 years, tree pollen sensitization in the 2010s markedly increased in oak, birch, alder, and pine. The sensitization to grasses and most weeds in the 2010s decreased in comparison with the 90s results. Oak Pollen allergens have increased in air during the last 30 years, and this increment has been correlated with increased oak reactivity. The number of birch trees is not so many as oak, but skin reactivity to birch pollen is as same as that to oak pollen. Because there are many chestnut near the residence, sensitization to Castanea spp. has to be evaluated. Maidenhair tree and Japanese elm are regarded as offending allergens of pollenosis. There are many maindenhair trees (Ginkgo biloba) and Japanese elm (Zelkova serrata) on streets and in park areas, and they produce a large amount of anemophilous pollen in spring. There is little wide grassland in Korea except the rice fields. Therefore, we do not have dominant grasses for pollenosis. There are a few peculiar grasses, such as orange foxtail, common reed, Korean lawn grass, Chinese silver grass, and green bristle grass. These pollens should be evaluated for cross-allergenicity with known allergenic pollens, such as timothy and Bermuda grass. In Korea, sagebrush, ragweed, and hop Japanese are prominent plants in autumn. Chrysanthemum spp. should be further evaluated because of persistently increased sensitization during the last 30 years, which are widely distributed in wild fields and bloom massively during late autumn. Recent climate changes and air pollution increase pollen production and alter pollen allergenicity. Therefore, continuous monitoring of plant ecology and pollen sensitization is necessary in effectively controlling pollen allergy for human health.
Air Pollution ; Allergens ; Alnus ; Ambrosia ; Artemisia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Betula ; Chrysanthemum ; Citrus sinensis ; Climate Change ; Cynodon ; Ecology ; Ginkgo biloba ; Humans ; Humulus ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea* ; Plants ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal* ; Silver ; Skin

PURPOSE: Aeroallergens are important causative factors of allergic diseases. Previous studies on aeroallergen sensitization rates investigated patients groups that had visited pediatric allergy clinics. In contrast, we investigated sensitization rates in a general population group of elementary school to teenage students in Incheon, Jeju, and Ulsan. METHODS: After obtaining parental consent, skin-prick tests were performed on 5,094 students between March and June 2010. Elementary school students were tested for 18 common aeroallergens, whereas middle and high school students were tested for 25 allergens. The 25 allergens included Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, pollen (birch, alder, oak, Japanese cedar, pine, willow, elm, maple, Bermuda grass, timothy grass, rye grass, orchard grass, meadow grass, vernal grass, mugwort, Japanese hop, fat hen, ragweed, and plantain), and mold (Penicillatum, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Alternaria). RESULTS: The sensitization rates in descending order were 25.79% (D. pteronyssinus), 18.66% (D. farinae), 6.20% (mugwort), and 4.07% (willow) in Incheon; 33.35% (D. pteronyssinus), 24.78% (D. farinae), 15.36% (Japanese cedar), and 7.33% (Alternaria) in Jeju; and 32.79% (D. pteronyssinus), 30.27% (D. farinae), 10.13% (alder), and 8.68% (birch) in Ulsan. The dust mite allergen showed the highest sensitization rate among the 3 regions. The sensitization rate of tree pollen was the highest in Ulsan, whereas that of Alternaria was the highest in Jeju. The ragweed sensitization rates were 0.99% in Incheon, 1.07% in Jeju, and 0.81% in Ulsan. CONCLUSION: The differences in sensitization rates were because of different regional environmental conditions and distinct surrounding biological species. Hence, subsequent nationwide studies are required.
Acer ; Allergens ; Alnus ; Alternaria ; Ambrosia ; Artemisia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Aspergillus ; Child ; Cladosporium ; Cryptomeria ; Cynodon ; Dactylis ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Dust ; Fungi ; Humans ; Humulus ; Hypersensitivity ; Lolium ; Mites ; Parental Consent ; Phleum ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Population Groups ; Salix

PURPOSE: To identify the correlation between nasal eosinophilia and aeroallergen sensitization in children and adolescents. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients below 18 years of age who had a history of rhinitis that lasted more than 2 weeks or had been repeated more than once a year, received nasal eosinophil examinations, and had serum specific IgE to aeroallergens measured at an Allergy Clinic in a single tertiary teaching hospital in Seoul, Korea. The percentage of nasal eosinophils was calculated by the number of eosinophils per total leukocytes in a high-power field of 1,000×. Data was analyzed to determine the association between nasal eosinophilia and 18 aeroallergens. RESULTS: Of the 245 patients included, 156 (63.7%) were male and the mean age (±standard deviation) was 7.9 years (±3.8). In total, 175 patients (71.4%) were sensitized to at least 1 of the 18 aeroallergens tested, and sensitization to house dust mite was most common. In addition, 118 (48.2%) and 69 patients (28.2%) had nasal eosinophilia of at least 1% and 5%, respectively. There were no significant correlations between serum total IgE or age and the percentage of nasal eosinophils. However, the percentage of nasal eosinophils in the group sensitized to any aeroallergens was significantly increased compared to the nonsensitized group (P=0.002). The percentage of nasal eosinophils was significantly higher in patients who were sensitized to Birch-Alder Mix, oak white, Bermuda grass, orchard grass, timothy grass, sweet vernal grass, rye, mugwort, short ragweed, Alternaria alternata, cats, dogs or Dermatophagoides farinae compared to those nonsensitized. CONCLUSION: Nasal eosinophilia was significantly associated with sensitization to aeroallergens.
Adolescent* ; Alternaria ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Cats ; Child* ; Cynodon ; Dactylis ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dogs ; Eosinophilia* ; Eosinophils ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Lolium ; Male ; Phleum ; Pyroglyphidae ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinitis* ; Seoul

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The incidence of allergic rhinitis and the kinds of offending allergens in our environment are varying as the way of life changes with urbanization and industrialization. Therefore, knowledge of the relationship between allergic rhinitis and the offending allergen is crucial for therapeutic judgment. The purpose of this study was to find out the incidence and distribution of offending allergens and investigate the prevalence of multiple sensitization on patients with allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Allergic skin test and multiple allergosorbent chemiluminescent assay (MAST-CLA) was performed for 1, 705 allergic rhinitis patients from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2001 at the allergy clinic, Kyung Hee university Hospital. and a retrospective study was done by reviewing the result. RESULTS: Common offending allergens were Dermatopgagoides farinae (D. farinae), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus), various pollens, dog hair, cockroach, and cat hair. Common offending seasonal allergens were ragweed, mugwort, rye, timothy grass, and Bermuda grass. The most common combination of allergens was mites with animal danders. Nineteen point three percent of the patients were sensitized to both perennial and seasonal type of allergens. Thirty point eight percent of patients with PAR (perennial allergic rhinitis) and 66.7% of patients with SAR (seasonal allergic rhinitis) were sensitized to multiple allergen. The prevalence of mixed sensitization to both perennial and seasonal allergen is 19.3% in allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of multiple sensitization in allergic rhinitis is 52.7%.
Allergens* ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Cats ; Climacteric ; Cockroaches ; Cynodon ; Dander ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Dogs ; Hair ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Judgment ; Luminescent Measurements ; Mites ; Phleum ; Pollen ; Prevalence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinitis* ; Seasons ; Secale cereale ; Skin Tests ; Statistics as Topic* ; Urbanization ; Industrial Development