RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Jewelweed (Impatiens biflora) is a plant which has been used for centuries for the treatment of poison ivy/oak allergic contact dermatitis. Numerous claims for its effectiveness exist in the lay press, and over-the-counter medicaments containing jewelweed are reputed to be an effective remedy for poison ivy/oak dermatitis. Despite these claims, few scientific studies testing the effectiveness of jewelweed have been performed. OBJECTIVE: Our objective in this pilot study was to test the efficacy of an extract of jewelweed in the treatment of experimentally induced allergic contact dermatitis to poison ivy/oak. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, paired comparison investigation was performed. Ten adult volunteers were patch tested to urushiol, the allergenic resin in poison ivy/oak. For each volunteer, one patch test site was treated with an extract prepared from the fresh stems of jewelweed; the remaining site was treated with distilled water to serve as a control. Sites were examined on days 2, 3, 7, and 9 with reactions graded on a numerical scale. RESULTS: All subjects developed dermatitis at each patch test site. There was no statistically significant difference in the objective scores at the sites treated with jewelweed extract versus the distilled water control sites. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that an extract of jewelweed was not effective in the treatment of poison ivy/oak allergic contact dermatitis.
Assuntos
Dermatite por Toxicodendron/tratamento farmacológico , Plantas Medicinais , Adulto , Alérgenos/administração & dosagem , Alérgenos/efeitos adversos , Catecóis/administração & dosagem , Catecóis/efeitos adversos , Dermatite por Toxicodendron/etiologia , Método Duplo-Cego , Edema/tratamento farmacológico , Edema/etiologia , Eritema/tratamento farmacológico , Eritema/etiologia , Seguimentos , Humanos , Testes do Emplastro , Projetos Piloto , Placebos , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Plantas Tóxicas , Prurido/tratamento farmacológico , Prurido/etiologiaRESUMO
Concern about the increasing incidence of hand dermatitis in floral shop workers in the United States and its possible association to the plant Alstroemeria, a flower that has become popular since its introduction in 1981, prompted investigation of the prevalence and cause of hand dermatitis in a sample of floral workers. Fifty-seven floral workers were surveyed, and 15 (26%) reported hand dermatitis within the previous 12 months. Sixteen floral workers (eight with dermatitis) volunteered to be patch tested to the North American Contact Dermatitis Group Standard and Perfume Trays, a series of eight pesticides and 20 plant allergens. Of four of seven floral designers and arrangers who reported hand dermatitis, three reacted positively to patch tests to tuliposide A, the allergen in Alstroemeria. Patch test readings for all other plant extracts were negative. A positive reading for a test to one pesticide, difolatan (Captafol), was noted, the relevance of which is unknown.
Assuntos
Dermatite de Contato/epidemiologia , Dermatite Ocupacional/epidemiologia , Dermatoses da Mão/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Alérgenos , Dermatite de Contato/etiologia , Dermatite Ocupacional/induzido quimicamente , Feminino , Glicosídeos/efeitos adversos , Dermatoses da Mão/induzido quimicamente , Humanos , Masculino , Testes do Emplastro , Pennsylvania/epidemiologia , Plantas , Prevalência , Oxibato de Sódio/efeitos adversos , Oxibato de Sódio/análogos & derivadosRESUMO
A 30-year-old white woman with facial apocrine chromhidrosis was treated successfully with topical capsaicin once or twice daily. Paired comparison of treated versus untreated sides and active drug-treated versus vehicle-treated sides showed suppression of the chromhidrosis only when capsaicin was used. After treatment was discontinued, the chromhidrosis returned within 2 days.
Assuntos
Glândulas Apócrinas , Capsaicina/uso terapêutico , Glândulas Sudoríparas , Administração Tópica , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Capsaicina/administração & dosagem , Face , Feminino , Humanos , Lipofuscina/análise , Transtornos da Pigmentação/tratamento farmacológico , Substância P/análise , Doenças das Glândulas Sudoríparas/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
19 adults were patch tested to urushiol, the allergen in poison ivy/oak, to determine their sensitivity to this allergen after working in a cashew nut shell oil (CNSO) processing plant. The cashew nut tree and poison ivy/oak are in the same botanical family. Anacardiaceae, and they share similar chemicals which cause allergic contact dermatitis. 13 of the 19 workers had a preemployment history of poison ivy sensitivity, with 10 developing CNSO dermatitis. After working in this factory for several months, 9 of the 13 noticed a decreased sensitivity or no sensitivity to poison ivy/oak. When tested to urushiol extract, only 3 reacted positively, 2 minimally. These results imply that hyposensitization to poison ivy/oak occurred in these employees after development of hardening to cashew nut shell oil.
Assuntos
Catecóis/efeitos adversos , Dermatite por Toxicodendron/imunologia , Dessensibilização Imunológica , Nozes/imunologia , Óleos de Plantas , Catecóis/imunologia , Dermatite por Toxicodendron/diagnóstico , Dermatite por Toxicodendron/etiologia , Exposição Ambiental , Indústria de Processamento de Alimentos , Humanos , Testes do EmplastroRESUMO
We have investigated the effect of topically applied mitogenic preparations on the healing of full-thickness skin wounds in the Syrian hamster. In an attempt to accelerate the healing process, dexamethasone and insulin, platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, thrombin, defined medium F for fibroblasts, liver cell supernatant, epidermal growth factor, and colostrum were applied to the wounds. These mitogens had no significant influence on the rate of wound contraction or on the time to complete healing in full-thickness, noncompromised skin wounds in this animal model.
Assuntos
Mitógenos/farmacologia , Pele/lesões , Cicatrização/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Colostro , Cricetinae , Meios de Cultura , Dexametasona/farmacologia , Fator de Crescimento Epidérmico/farmacologia , Feminino , Fatores de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/farmacologia , Insulina/farmacologia , Mesocricetus , Fator de Crescimento Derivado de Plaquetas/farmacologia , Estimulação Química , Trombina/farmacologia , Fatores de Tempo , Extratos de Tecidos/farmacologiaRESUMO
A prospective study of 100 surgical patients was undertaken to identify causes of contact dermatitis. Patch testing with the North American Contact Dermatitis Standard Series and additional agents used in the surgical preparation and dressing was performed in 11 patients with post-operative dermatitis or a history of tape allergy. 12 patients were diagnosed as having irritant (mechanical) contact dermatitis. One patient had allergic contact dermatitis to benzoin postoperatively; another patient with a history of an adhesive tape reaction had a positive patch test to thiuram mix, rubber accelerators formerly present in adhesive tapes. Our findings indicate that irritant contact dermatitis is a common problem in the surgical patient. Allergic contact dermatitis is less common, occurring in 2 of the 100 patients.