Allergy Plants

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Allergy Plants
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Allergies

• Disease of the immune system
• Caused by common everyday organism not foreign
  microorganisms
• About 20 of the US population suffers from
  allergies - 50 million people
• Most common are hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and
  asthma

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Immune System

• First line of defense against disease
• Protects our bodies against invading
  microorganisms
• In allergies, the immune system reacts against
  harmless substances
• In response to invading substances, our bodies
  produce antibodies

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Antibodies

• Proteins produced by lymphocytes when our bodies
  encounter foreign substances
• Known as immunoglobins (Ig)
• Different types of Ig molecules
• Allergies caused by IgE antibodies
• People allergies produce high levels of IgE
  antibodies

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IgE Antibodies

• IgE antibodies attach to cells called mast cells
• Mast cells in all body surfaces skin,
  respiratory tract, intestinal tract
• When person encounters allergen (like a pollen)
  protein diffuses out of the pollen into
  respiratory tract and attaches to IgE

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IgE Antibodies and Mast Cells

• When allergenic protein attaches to IgE, it
  causes changes to the mast cell
• Mast cell releases many chemicals like
  histamines, leukotrienes, prostaglandins,etc
• Chemicals cause the allergy symptoms of
• respiratory allergies hay fever or asthma
• intestinal symptoms of food allergies
• skin allergies - eczema or dermatitis

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Mast Cells
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Hayfever

• Most common form of allergy
• In US, 35 to 40 million people afflicted
• Typical symptoms include sneezing, runny nose,
  nasal congestion, watery and itchy eyes, itchy
  ears
• Strongly linked to sinusitis, ear infections,
  nasal polyps, and asthma
• We spend 2 billion annually on medication

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Asthma

• Chronic breathing disorder
• Characterized by inflammation of the airways,
  bronchial constriction, excessive mucous
  secretion - results in wheezing, coughing, and
  choking
• Responsible for 5,000 deaths in the US/ yr
• Attacks triggered by exposure to allergens and
  also infections, stress, exercise

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Airborne Allergens

• Outdoor Allergens
• Pollen
• Fungal Spores

• Indoor Allergens
• Fungal Spores
• Dust mites
• Cockroaches
• Animal Dander

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Hay Fever Plants

• Produce abundant quantities of lightweight pollen
  that is dispersed by wind
• Pollen can remain airborne for extended periods
  and often be carried long distances
• Majority settles out close to their source
• Most important hay fever plants grow close to
  human populations

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Wind Pollinated Flowers

• Flowers small and inconspicuous often an
  inflorescence
• Often lacking sepals and petals no nectar
• Pollen small, dry, light, and abundant

Stigma
Ovary
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Pollen Seasons in Tulsa

• Trees -- Spring pollen starting in early February
  through May - greatest levels
• Grasses -- Primarily May and June but some
  continuing all summer
• Weeds -- August through October with ragweed the
  chief culprit
• One ragweed plant can release 1 billion pollen
• 100 million tons/year in North America

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Tulsa Tree Pollen Season

• Red cedar
• Elm
• Maple
• Hackberry
• Cottonwood
• Sycamore
• Birch

• Oak
• Ash
• Mulberry
• Pecan
• Willow
• Pine
• Walnut

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Oak Pollen - Most Abundant
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Short Ragweed
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Giant Ragweed - Ambrosia trifida
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Giant Ragweed
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Winter Pollen

• No local plants pollinate in the winter
• Every winter pollen has been registered in by air
  samplers
• In southern Oklahoma and Texas some plants
  pollinate in winter

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Long distance transport of Juniperus ashei

• Juniperus ashei Mountain cedar
• Arbuckle Mts of Oklahoma (500,000 acres)
• Edwards Plateau of Texas
• Highly allergenic (cedar fever in Texas)
• Tulsa allergist reported 15 patient sensitivity
• Mid-winter pollination (Dec. and Jan.)
• Before the local tree pollen
• Evidence of pollen in Tulsa atmosphere

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Distribution of Juniperus ashei
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Cedar Pollen in Tulsa Atmosphere

• Approximately 40 of days in December and
  January
• Generally concentrations are low, below 25 pollen
  grains per cubic meter of air
• Usual 3 or 4 days of high concentration
• Peak in Tulsa was Jan 13, 1996 with 2411 pollen
  grains/cubic meter
• On-going research to forecast mountain cedar
  pollen (http//pollen.utulsa.edu)

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Contact Dermatitis

• Many plants capable of causing allergic reactions
  to the skin
• Poison ivy most notorious of this group
• Typically causes delayed hypersensitivity because
  the rash takes 24 to 48 hrs to appear
• A resin, urishol, is the actual allergen causing
  rash, blisters, and itching
• Related poison oak and poison sumac

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Food Allergies

• Symptoms maybe in gastrointestinal tract, skin,
  or respiratory
• Can cause anaphalixis (swelling of respiratory
  tissues, severe drop in blood pressure, and
  cardiovascular collapse)
• Many foods are allergenic - among plants, wheat,
  peanut, soybean, other nuts, and strawberries are
  commonly allergenic

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Latex Allergies

• Latex - milky exudate in many plants
• Latex of some plants is rich in hydrocarbons with
  elastic properties
• Rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, is the source of
  natural rubber latex
• Increased use of latex in medicine has brought
  about dramatic increase in latex allergy