Antifungal activities of volatile vapours of essential oils were investigated. Volatile vapours of test essential oils except Cedar-wood and Pachouri showed inhibitory activity against test fungi. Volatile vapours of Birch essential oils exhibited fungistatic activity against dermatophytic filamentous fungi while others did fungicidal activity. Spores of dermatophytic filamentous fungi are more susceptible to volatile vapours of essential oils than mycelia.
Betula ; Fungi ; Oils, Volatile* ; Spores

PURPOSE: Recently, component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) using microarray technology has been introduced to the field of clinical allergy. This study was aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of microarray-based IgE detection for diagnosing clinical raw fruit allergy in birch pollen-sensitized children. METHODS: Thirty-one children with allergic disease who had been sensitized to pollen were studied. A pollen-sensitized patient was defined as having an allergen-specific history with concomitant positive skin-prick tests (SPTs) to natural allergen extracts or positive allergen-specific IgE. All subjects underwent SPTs for pollen and fruit. In all subjects, specific IgE to pollen and fruit were measured by ImmunoCAP. Specific IgE antibodies to allergen components were determined by a customized allergen microarray (ISAC). RESULTS: Thirteen of the 31 patients (41.9%) had a history of fruit hypersensitivity with positive SPTs. Measuring IgE to allergen components by ISAC, all the 13 patients with fruit hypersensitivity were positive to at least one of Mal d 1, Pru p 1, Pru p 3, Act d 8, and Act d 2 compared to 12 of the 13 patients (92.3%) who had at least 1 positive IgE to fruits (apple, peach, and kiwi) using ImmunoCAP. The sensitivity of ISAC microarray was 100.0% for the diagnosis of fruit hypersensitivity, but its specificity was 27.7% (5/18). The sensitivity of ImmunoCAP was 92.3%, and its specificity was 83.3%. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity of allergen components tested using microarray for the diagnosis of clinical fruit hypersensitivity in children with pollen allergy was high; however, its specificity was low.
Antibodies ; Betula* ; Child* ; Diagnosis* ; Fruit* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Pollen* ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal

Adolescent ; Betula ; immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Humans ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; complications

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate hidden allergens of acute idiopathic urticaria (AIU) in childhood by using the component-resolved diagnostics (CRD). METHODS: We applied CRD using pathogenesis-related protein family number 10 (PR-10) and nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTP). RESULTS: Twenty-two of the 74 AIU children (29.7%) were found to be positive on CRD. Ten children were positive to nMal d 1 for apple (value range, 1.10–40.59), 6 to rConr a 1 for hazelnut (1.53–11.97), 4 to rPru p 1 for peach (1.32–11.83). 6 to rAra h 8 for peanut (1.20–8.12), 6 to nAct d 8 for kiwi (0.85–3.32), 4 to rBet v 1 for birch (2.49–54.28), and 3 to rAln g 1 for alder (2.32–5.74). Six children were positive to nPru p 3 for peach (1.45–18.77), 4 to rCor a 8 for hazelnut (2.56–9.19), 2 to nArt v 3 for mugwort (3.40–7.42), and 3 to rBet v2 to profilin of birch (2.56–17.46). Ten children with AIU were positive to multiple component proteins. For hazelnut, 5 children were positive to PR-10 (rConr a 1) and nsLTP (rConr a 1). For peach, 3 children were positive to PR-10 (rPru p 1) and nsLTP (nPru p 3). CONCLUSION: IgE sensitization to PR-10 or nsLTP may be allergen components for AIU in childhood.
Allergens ; Alnus ; Arachis ; Artemisia ; Betula ; Child* ; Corylus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Profilins ; Prunus persica ; Urticaria*

OBJECTIVETo assay the carcinogencity of water and organic extracts of birch wood dust.

METHODSOne stage and two stage model of mouse lung tumor by short-term induction test were used.

RESULTSIn the one stage experiment, no significant difference of the incidence of mice lung tumors was observed between different dosage groups of water extracts and organic extracts. In the two stage experiment, the tumor incidence and the average number of tumor per mouse in three dosage groups treated with the water extracts(1, 2, 4 g/kg) were 4.08% and 0.04, 8.33% and 0.15, 14.30% and 0.24 respectively with dose increment. There was a significant dose-response relationship between them(P < 0.05), and the tumor incidence and the average number of tumor per mouse in 4 g/kg group were significantly higher than those in the control group and 1 g/kg group and its one stage group(P < 0.05). The tumor incidence and the average number of tumor per mouse induced by organic extracts were higher with increasing dose, but no significant difference among groups was found (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth extracts of birch wood dust may be initiators, and carcinogenic effect of the water extract is stronger than that of the organic extract.

Animals ; Betula ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dust ; Lung Neoplasms ; etiology ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; toxicity ; Wood

BACKGROUND: Skin smoothness in aging skin, in combination of intrinsic aging and photoaging, is of ever-increasing interest which leads to the development of various wrinkle diminuation products including those containing herbal medicines. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of cosmetics containing roots of Ephedra sinica and Betula platyphylla var. japonica on reducing skin furrows. METHOD: Creams containing Ephedra sinica's root and Betula platyphylla var. japonica were applied to forearms of 30 healthy subjects in 2 age groups for 8 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively while silicone skin replicas were taken from medial and lateral sides of the forearm every 4 weeks of the study starting from the week 0. Then the changes of the skin furrows were analyzed with skin visiometer. RESULTS: 1. At week 8, a significant reduction of average roughness and maximum roughness were observed in volunteers younger than age 50 on their Ephedra sinica's root-treated side compared with the placebo-treated side (p<0.05). 2. No statistically significant changes were observed with both Ephedra sinica's root and Betula platyphylla var. japonica in the group of age over 50. 3. Comparison of the changes between treatment groups of both Ephedra sinica's root and Betula platyphylla var. japonica at any assessment time did not show statistically significant differences between the medial and lateral side of forearm, while the treatment group of Ephedra sinica's root showed statistically significant differences between the young and old at week 8 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of Ephedra sinica's root seems to be partially effective in improving skin furrows in youth. To our knowledge, this study is the first trial to evaluate the efficacy of both Ephedra sinica's root and Betula platyphylla var. japonica on decreasing wrinkle in the world.
Adolescent ; Aging ; Betula* ; Ephedra sinica* ; Ephedra* ; Forearm ; Humans ; Silicones ; Skin* ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity that occurs frequently in older children with pollen sensitization. This study focused on the clinical characteristics of OAS in children with atopic dermatitis (AD) and birch sensitization. METHOD: s: A total of 186 patients aged 2–18 years with AD and birch sensitization were enrolled in this study between January 2016 and March 2017. Their levels of serum total IgE and birch- and ragweed-specific IgE (sIgE) were measured using ImmunoCAP (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden). Information regarding causative foods and symptoms were obtained via interviews. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their ages (group 1, 2–6 years; group 2, 7–12 years; and group 3, 13–18 years). RESULTS: Eighty-one of the 186 (43.5%) children with AD who were sensitized to birch pollen were diagnosed as having OAS. The prevalence of OAS in group 1 (the children who had AD and birch sensitization aged 2–6 years) was 36.6%. A greater predominance of men was noted in the non-OAS group (77.1%) compared to the OAS group (60.5%). Apples were the most common causative food in group 2 and 3 while kiwis were the most common cause of OAS in group 1. There was a statistically significant correlation between birch-sIgE levels and the prevalence of OAS (P = 0.000). The cut-off value was 6.77 kUA/L with 55.6% sensitivity and 79.0% specificity (area under the curve 0.653). CONCLUSION: In our study, the prevalence of OAS in children with AD and birch sensitization was 43.5%. Even in the preschool age group, the prevalence of OAS was considerable. Patients with high levels of birch-sIgE were more likely to have OAS. Clinicians should therefore be vigilant about OAS in patients with a high degree of sensitization to birch pollen and even young children if they have birch sensitization.
Betula* ; Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Male ; Malus ; Methods ; Pollen ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Currently used methods for collecting nasal-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) require administration of a large amount of saline into the nostrils, which is difficult in children. We designed two methods that are easy to use in children. We measured nasal-specific IgE and evaluated clinical characteristics of nasal-specific IgE in pediatric rhinitis. This study included 82 patients who visited Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital from December 2014 to July 2016 with rhinitis symptoms. Thirty patients used the spray method, and 52 patients used the swab method. We examined nasal-specific IgE to Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Alternaria, birch, and weed mix. Thirty patients had nasal-specific IgE concentrations of ≥ 0.35 kIU/L. There was a positive correlation between nasal-specific IgE and serum-specific IgE to D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus (r = 0.548, P < 0.001; r = 0.656, P < 0.001). If we regard positivity of skin prick test as standard, cutoff point of nasal-specific IgE to D. farinae was 0.11 kIU/L and to D. pteronyssinus was 0.12 kIU/L. Based on these cutoff points, five patients would be considered to have local allergic rhinitis. The methods showed relatively high positivity for nasal-specific IgE, which reflected the serum-specific IgE as well. These methods can be considered to diagnose local allergic rhinitis in children.
Alternaria ; Betula ; Child ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Methods ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Skin

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the component-resolved diagnosis using a microarray allergen chip (Immuno Solid-phase Allergen Chip, ImmunoCAP ISAC) and to compare this new diagnostic tool with the established ImmunoCAP methods for allergen-specific IgE detection in allergic rhinitis patients. METHODS: One hundred sixty-eight allergic rhinitis patients were included in this study. All the patients were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis according to their clinical symptoms, physical examination and a positive skin prick test. We analyzed their specific IgEs for house dust mites (Dermatophagoides farine [DF] and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus [DP]), Alternaria alternata, birch, and mugwort using ImmunoCAP and ImmunoCAP ISAC in the same patient sample. We compared the sensitivity and correlation between the two tests. RESULTS: In cases of allergies to DP and DF, the sensitivity of the specific IgE was 80% and that of the allergen microarray was 78.9%. The correlation between the two tests was significant for both DP and DF (P<0.001). For the A. alternata, birch and mugwort allergens, the sensitivity of ImmunoCAP ISAC was slightly lower than that of ImmunoCAP. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the allergen microarray chip method is a reliable new method to diagnose the components of an allergen in patients with allergic rhinitis sensitive to house dust mites. Further study about the utility of the allergen microarray is needed.
Allergens ; Alternaria ; Artemisia ; Betula ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Korea* ; Physical Examination ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis* ; Skin

PURPOSE: Clinical features of peanut allergy can range from localized to systemic reactions. Because peanut and birch pollen have cross-reactivity, peanut can lead to localized allergic reaction in Fagales pollen-sensitized oral allergy syndrome (OAS) patients without peanut sensitization per se. The purpose of this study was to discriminate true peanut food allergy from cross-reactive hypersensitivity in birch-sensitized peanut allergy. METHODS: Birch-sensitized (n=81) and peanut anaphylaxis patients (n=12) were enrolled. Peanut-related allergic reactions and sensitization profiles were examined. Specific IgE to Fagales tree pollens (birch, oak), peanut, and their component allergens (Bet v 1, Bet v 2, Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, Ara h 8, and Ara h 9) were evaluated. Based on these specific IgEs and clinical features, the patients were classified into 4 groups: group 1 (Fagales pollen allergy without OAS), group 2 (Fagales pollen allergy with OAS), group 3 (OAS with peanut anaphylaxis), and group 4 (peanut anaphylaxis). RESULTS: After peanut consumption, one-third of OAS patients experienced oral symptoms not associated with peanut sensitization. Ara h 1 or Ara h 2 was positive in peanut anaphylaxis patients, whereas Ara h 8 was positive in OAS patients. There were 4 patients with both peanut anaphylaxis and OAS (group 3). Both Ara h 2 and Ara h 8 were positive in these patients. Foods associated with OAS in Korea showed unique patterns compared to Westernized countries. CONCLUSIONS: Ara h 2 and Ara h 8 may be important component allergens for discriminating peanut allergy.
Allergens* ; Anaphylaxis ; Arachis* ; Betula ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Korea* ; Peanut Hypersensitivity* ; Pollen ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; Trees