Influence of Instant Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC) on Allergenic Potential of Tree Nuts.

Pistachio and cashew contain allergenic proteins, which causes them to be removed from the diet of allergic people. Previous studies have demonstrated that food processing (thermal and non-thermal) can produce structural and/or conformational changes in proteins by altering their allergenic capacity. In this study, the influence of instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) on pistachio and cashew allergenic capacity has been studied. Western blot was carried out using IgG anti-11S and anti-2S and IgE antibodies from sera of patients sensitized to pistachio and cashew. DIC processing causes changes in the electrophoretic pattern, reducing the number and intensity of protein bands, as the pressure and temperature treatment increment, which results in a remarkable decrease in detection of potentially allergenic proteins. The harshest conditions of DIC (7 bar, 120 s) markedly reduce the immunodetection of allergenic proteins, not only by using IgG (anti 11S and anti 2S) but also when IgE sera from sensitized patients were used for Western blots. Such immunodetection is more affected in pistachio than in cashew nuts, but is not completely removed. Therefore, cashew proteins are possibly more resistant than pistachio proteins. According these findings, instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) can be considered a suitable technique in order to obtain hypoallergenic tree nut flour to be used in the food industry.

Cumulative risk assessment of pesticide residues in different Iranian pistachio cultivars: Applying the source specific HQS and adversity specific HIA approaches in Real Life Risk Simulations (RLRS).

Iran is a major supplier of the world pistachio market. In this study, we collected five pistachio cultivars from four main pistachio-producing zones in August and September 2016, and determined the residues of 18 organophosphorus, carbamate, pyrethroid and nicotinoid pesticide in these samples using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, as an efficient method for determination of pesticides' residues. Next, single-chemical and chronic cumulative risk assessment was done based on the new approaches of the food specific Hazard Quotient and adversity specific Hazard Index. Fifteen from eighteen food-specific Hazard Quotients were above 1 even in cases when the respective contamination was bellow MRLs. The adversity specific Hazard Indexes values were above 1 for five from six adversities indicating various risks in the resulted levels of pistachios' contamination from the pesticides' mixture. However, no risk for carcinogenicity was found. Our results indicate the necessity of taking appropriate measures to control/standardize pesticides practice in pistachio cultivation in Iran and the need to re-establish the MRLs based on cumulative exposure.

Effects of mastic oleoresin on wound healing and episiotomy pain: A mixed methods study.

INTRODUCTION: Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) oleoresin (MO is used by traditional Baluch healers to precipitate wound healing and relieve episiotomy pain. OBJECTIVE(S): To investigate the effects of MO on wound healing and episiotomy pain intensity in nulliparous Baluch women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study had a mixed methods design. In the qualitative phase, we interviewed 9 traditional healers and 13 women to understand how the indigenous people use MO for wound healing. In the quantitative phase, a randomized controlled trial was performed on primiparous women during July 23-November 22 in 2016. One hundred and forty-seven women were randomly assigned to intervention (n=73) and control (n=74) groups. At 48h postpartum, 15g of MO was provided to the women to be administered for three days (through smoking the episiotomy wound). Pain and wound healing were measured at 3, 7, and 10 days postpartum using the visual analogue scale and REEDA scale, respectively. RESULTS: MO had no significant effect on episiotomy pain intensity at 3, 7, and 10 days postpartum (p=0.61, p=0.76, and p=0.45, respectively). In addition, healing rates of the episiotomy wounds treated by MO (mean: 0.11±0.45, 0.15±0.51, and 0.15±0.57, respectively) were higher than those in the control group (mean: 0.21±0.70, 0.16±0.63, and 0.49±0.28, respectively) at 3, 7, and 10 days postpartum; however, the difference between the two groups was not significant (p=0.27, p=0.76, and p=0.23, respectively). CONCLUSION: In the current study, healing rates in the MO group were higher than those in the control group; however, further studies should be undertaken to identify the effects of MO.

Irritantcy potential and sub acute dermal toxicity study of Pistacia lentiscus fatty oil as a topical traditional remedy.

The current study was undertaken to assess safety of Pistacia lentiscus fruits fatty oil (PLFO) as a topical traditional remedy. A primary skin and eye irritation tests were conducted with New Zealand white rabbits to determine the potential for PLFO to produce irritation from a single application. In addition, a sub acute dermal toxicity study was performed on 18 NZW rabbits to evaluate possible adverse effect following application of PLFO for 28 days. Based on the results of the current study, PLFO is classified as slightly irritating to the skin and the eye of rabbits (Primary Irritation Index (P.I.I.) = 1.037; Ocular Irritation Index (O.I.I.) = 5.33 at 1 h). In the sub-acute toxicity test, PLFO produced neither mortality nor significant differences in the body and organ weights between control group and treated rabbits. However, a reversible irritant contact dermatitis was observed in the treated areas from the end of the second week of application until the end of experiment. This local phenomenon was accompanied by a significant skin thickening (P≤0.01) since the 12(th) day (ANOVA, F = 11, 07143, P = 0, 00765) which is confirmed with an inflammatory granuloma in histological study. Haematological analysis and blood chemistry values of the 2 groups showed no significant differences in any of the parameters examined. In summary, PLFO is minimally irritating to the eye and skin after a single exposure, but it may cause irritant contact dermatitis and a reversible thickening of skin after prolonged use.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by the essential oil of Pistacia lentiscus.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is an uncommon pustular eruption characterized by small nonfollicular pustules on an erythematous background, sometimes associated with fever and neutrophilia. Over 90% of cases are drug-induced; however, it can be caused in rare cases by other agents. We report two cases of AGEP secondary to ingestion of Pistacia lentiscus essential oil, the first two such cases to our knowledge. The cutaneous morphology, disease course and histological findings were consistent with a definite diagnosis of AGEP, based on the criteria of the EuroSCAR study group. These two cases highlight the need to consider herbal extracts as a potential rare cause of AGEP and to ensure the safety of herbal medicines.

Anafilaxia por ingesta de anacardos / Allergic reactions to cashews, an increasing problem

Introducción. El objetivo del trabajo es presentar un caso de reacción alérgica por sensibilización a anacardos. Caso clínico. Presentamos a una paciente de 3 años de edad, la cual sufrió síntomas inmediatos de alergia (urticaria, angioedema, disnea y vómitos) tras la ingesta de anacardos. Reaccions al·lèrgiques per ingesta d’anacards. Una patologia en creixement Agustín Sansosti Viltes 1, 2, Rosa Solé Artigues 1, Catalina Gómez Galán 2, Laia Ferré Ybarz 2, Mariano de la Borbolla 2, Santiago Nevot Falcó 1, 2 1 Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell, Escaldes Engordany, Andorra. 2 Althaia. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu. Manresa (Barcelona) Se realizó prueba de la picadura frente a frutos secos y neumoalergenos habituales en nuestra área, prick by prick con diversos frutos secos con prueba de tolerancia oral, y medición de IgE específica en el suero de la paciente. Las pruebas cutáneas frente a neumoalergenos y frutos secos fueron negativas, excepto para pistacho. El prick by prick y la prueba de tolerancia oral con cacahuete, avellana, almendra, nuez y pipas de girasol también fueron negativos, mientras que el prick by prick con anacardo fue positivo. Además se efectuó prick by prick, IgE específica en suero, y prueba de tolerancia oral con mango, con resultado negativo. La IgE en suero específica frente a anacardo fue de 24,4 kU/ l (clase 4), y la IgE frente a pistacho fue de 21,1 kU/ l, sin efectuar tolerancia oral. Comentarios. Los anacardos pueden provocar reacciones alérgicas severas, y se ha visto que los pacientes con alergia a dicho fruto seco también pueden reaccionar con la ingesta de pistacho, lo cual es el resultado de la reactividad cruzada entre ambos, dado que forman parte de la familia de las anacardiáceas(AU)

Background. The aim of this study is to present a case of allergy due to sensitization to cashew nuts. Care Report. A 3 year-old girl presented with severe allergy symptoms (urticaria, facial edema, dyspnea, and vomiting) after ingestion of cashews. We performed a prick test with nuts and common aeroallergens in our area, and a prick-by-prick test with different nuts combined with oral challenge tests and measurement of specific IgE in the patient’s serum. The prick test to aeroallergens and nuts was negative, except for pistachio. The prick-by-prick and oral challenge tests with peanut, almond, hazelnut, walnut, and sunflower seed were negative, while prick-by-prick test with cashew nut was positive. We also performed prick-by-prick test, specific IgE in serum, and oral challenge with mango, which was negative. The specific serum IgE to cashew nut was 24.4 kU/l (class 4) and specific IgE to pistachio was 21.1 kU/l (class 4), without performing oral challenge. Conclusion. Cashew nuts can cause severe allergic reactions; patients may also be allergic to pistachios, which could be as a result of cross reactivity since both nuts belong to the Anacardiacea family(AU)

Acute toxicity of Opuntia ficus indica and Pistacia lentiscus seed oils in mice.

Opuntia ficus indica and Pistacia lentiscus L. seeds are used in traditional medicine. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicity of the fixed oil of Opuntia ficus indica and Pistacia lentiscus L. seeds in mice through determination of LD50 values, and also the physicochemical characteristics of the fixed oil of these oils. The acute toxicity of their fixed oil were also investigated in mice using the method of Kabba and Berhens. The fixed oil of Pistacia lentiscus and Opuntia ficus indica seeds were extracted and analyzed for its chemical and physical properties such as acid value, free fatty acid percentage (% FFA), iodine index, and saponification value as well as refractive index and density. LD50 values obtained by single doses, orally and intraperitoneally administered in mice, were respectively 43 ± 0,8 ;[40.7- 45.4 ] ml/kg body wt. p.o. and 2.72 ± 0,1 ;[2.52-2.92] ml/kg body wt. i.p. for Opuntia ficus indica ; and 37 ± 1 ;[34.4 - 39.8 ] ml/kg body wt. p.o. and 2.52 ± 0,2 ;[2.22 - 2.81 ] ml/kg body wt. i.p. for Pistacia lentiscus respectively. The yields of seed oil were respectively calculated as 20.25% and 10.41%. The acid and free fatty acid values indicated that the oil has a low acidity.

Cloning, expression, characterization, and computational approach for cross-reactivity prediction of manganese superoxide dismutase allergen from pistachio nut.

BACKGROUND: Tree nut allergy is one of the common potentially life-threatening food allergies in children and adults. Recombinant food allergens offer new perspectives to solve problems of clinical and molecular allergology in diagnosis, research, and therapy of food allergies. So far, superoxide dismutase (s) has been identified as a panallergen and studied in different allergenic sources. Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (MnSOD) has also been reported in pistachio that may cause allergic reactions in atopic subjects. The aim of this study was to describe the cloning, expression, and purification of MnSOD from pistachio nut. METHODS: The pistachio MnSOD was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using a vector pET-32b (+). A recombinant protein was purified by metal precipitation. The protein immunoreactivity was evaluated using patients' IgE binding by means of ELISA and immunoblotting assays. RESULTS: The MnSOD gene from pistachio was successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli. The purified pistachio MnSOD was recognized by IgE in 10 (40%) out of the 25 sera tested. Our results also showed that this protein might trigger some cross-reactions toward IgE antibodies and thus could be considered as a panallergen. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time recombinant manganese superoxide dismutase from nut source was expressed as a possible allergen. This pistachio allergen could be a possible basis for cross-reactivity with MnSOD from other sources.

[A case undergoing repeated anaphylactic shock after systemic administration of vinorelbine].

We here describe a 49-year-old man who suffered repeated anaphylactic shock after systemic chemotherapy with vinorelbine for stage IV left lung adenocarcinoma (S1+2). He was treated using a combination of cisplatin and weekly irinotecan (CPT-11) as the first line; however, the regimen was changed to a combination of vinorelbine (VNR) and gemcitabine (GEM) because of his progressive disease. He was admitted to our hospital for examination of the unknown cause of hypotension and loss of consciousness. The second shock occurred after eating pistachios, and the third one at cancerous pain. After pain control, the shock no longer occurred. Anaphylactic shock may show two peaks and late symptoms. In patients with a history of anaphylactic shock, we should pay attention to foods, drugs, and various stresses which might cause anaphylaxis.

Pistachio nutshell foreign body of the oral cavity in two children.

Pistachio nutshell foreign bodies have been documented in the literature, occurring most commonly in the bronchi. The objective of this study is to report on two cases of oral cavity lesions, which were subsequently found to be pistachio nutshell foreign bodies. The first patient is a 9-month-old male who presented with a hard palate mass measuring 1.5 cm. The patient was evaluated in the operating room, and found to have a submucosal pistachio nutshell foreign body. The second patient is a 17-month-old female who presented with a firm, fixed midline hard palate mass. The lesion was subsequently noted to dislodge from the palate, and was identified as a pistachio nutshell.