Maria F. Caiaffa

Beauvericin: Chemistry, Biology and Significance

Mycotoxin contamination of cereal crops is of a worldwide concern since about 35% of cereal crop products contain measurable amount ofmycotoxins. Beauvericin is one toxic metabolite recently reported as product of some important phytopathogenic Fusarium species. We have described in this multidisciplinary and collaborative report the chemistry, the biological toxicity, the natural occurrence as contaminant of cereals and the main Fusarium species involved in their production. This chapter strongly addresses that a great attention should be directed to this toxin and that studies on its synergistic effects with other food-toxins should be carried out.

Purification and fine characterization of a major allergen from Olea europaea pollen extract

Olea europaea (olive) pollen extract was prepared by aqueous extraction and characterized by biochemical and immunochemical methods. Two components, displaying respective mol. wt. of 17000 and 19000, were the most reactive allergens, being the doublet (designated Ole e I) recognized by most sera tested. The 19000 mol. wt. component, purified by conventional biochemical procedure and lectin‐affinity chromatography from the Ole e I doublet, was deglycosylated and analyzed by SDS–PAGE and by ELISA inhibition. The results obtained suggest that the 19000 mol. wt. component represents the glycosylated form of the 17000 component.

Monitoring of Atmospheric Conditions and Forecast of Olive Pollen Season

Olive has Just been recognized as one of the most important allergenic pollens in some regions of North America (11, 17, 19, 20) and throughout the Mediterranean basin (1, 3, 7, 16, 18), where large areas are covered with Olive cultivations, mainly in Southern Italy, Southern Spain, Greece, Turkey and Northern Africa. In the district of Bari (Apulia, Southern Italy) (12) the Olive groves occupy the 54.25% of the whole territory, in the countrysides as well as near the principal cities. Therefore, in this area large quantities of Olea Europaea pollen are released in the atmosphere during the flowering season, in May and June. From the aerobiological point of view, the Olive pollen season in Bari appears short enough but very severe. It starts on 10th-15th May, reaches the peak a fortnight later with concentrations usually around many hundreds of grains/cm and decreases more slowly on the last week of June.

Changes in skin reactivity, specific IgE and IgG levels after one year of immunotherapy in olive pollinosis

Changes in specific skin reactivity, specific IgE and specific IgG after immunotherapy (IT) were investigated in olive pollinosis. Thirty patients, receiving IT with commercial extracts, were studied in comparison with a control group of seven patients, receiving only drug therapy. Skin reactivity, IgE and IgG were assessed before starting IT and 1 year later. Definite changes in the three considered parameters occurred in patients given IT with Olea europaea extracts; no variation was observed in the control group. The specific skin reactivity, evaluated by means of quantitative skin prick tests, significantly decreased (Skin Index geometrical mean from 2.73 to 0.88, P<0.001); the specific IgE, measured by RAST, were surprisingly decreased (from 7.76 to 4.74 PRU/ml, P < 0.001); the specific IgG, measured by ELISA, in basic conditions were detectable only in nine patients of 30, while, after IT, they were found in almost all patients with a remarkable increase (from 5.48 to 266.89 AU/ml, P < 0.001). No correlation was found among the changes in the considered parameters, suggesting that, at least in olive pollinosis, specific skin reactivity, specific IgE and specific IgG are three variables depending on IT but reciprocally independent.

Fig and mulberry cross-allergy

BACKGROUND Hypersensitivity reactions to ingestion of figs (Ficus carica) and mulberries (Morus nigra and Morus alba) are considered uncommon and have never been reported as occurring in the same patient. OBJECTIVE To determine whether hypersensitivity to figs and mulberries can induce cross-allergy. METHODS We describe 3 cases of associated fig and mulberry allergy in 3 patients with multiple sensitizations to food allergens (mostly fruit) and airborne allergens. The presence of specific IgE was investigated by skin prick tests and radioallergosorbent tests. RESULTS The 3 patients had a convincing clinical history of food allergy caused by eating fresh figs, and in all 3 cases clinical and/or laboratory evidence of sensitization to mulberries was also collected. CONCLUSIONS We reason that Ficus and Morus are closely related genera of the Moraceae family and speculate that hypersensitivity to figs and mulberries might be associated as the result of allergen cross-reactivity rather than mere coincidence.

General adverse reaction to aspirin administered by transdermal iontophoresis.

Sir: Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most prescribed pharmaceutical products worldwide. These powerful cyclooxygenase inhibitors, however, may cause severe side effects and, in susceptible individuals, allergylike adverse reactions [1]. To minimize the risk of both kinds of event, when possible, these drugs are administered topically. Transdermal administration of sodium salicylate, aspirin, and other NSAIDs by iontophoresis has been widely employed in the treatment of a number of rheumatic, orthopedic, and posttraumatic conditions [2, 3, 4, 5]. Here we report an unusual, moderate to severe systemic reaction to iontophoresis administration of lysine acetylsalicylate. An 18-year-old man had been prescribed a short course of daily lysine acetylsalicylate transdermal administrations (1 g) by anodic iontophoresis, in relation to knee pain, inflammation, and functional impairment of possible postsurgical origin. A few days into the treatment, approx. 3 h after receiving the daily iontophoresis treatment, the patient complained of generalized cutaneous eruption, with small, nonconfluent erythematous-pomphoid lesions and pruritus, lip angioedema, nasal obstruction, and a sense of constriction in the chest. Symptoms receded spontaneously in 5–6 h except lip swelling, which lasted for approx. 12 h. Notably the patient had used and tolerated aspirin and other NSAIDs previously and had never suffered from asthma before. Skin prick tests for airborne allergens revealed sensitization to grass pollen, olive pollen, cypress pollen, and house dust mites. However, none of these allergic sensitizations was related to the clinical history, which was negative for both pollenand miteassociated allergic conditions. Aspirin oral challenge was performed, according to a single-blind schedule: doses of 15, 30, 65, 140, 250, and 500 mg lysine acetylsalicylate were administered sequentially, with an increase every 30 min. Three hours after the end of the challenge procedure the patient exhibited lip angioedema. As a consequence he received prompt medication, consisting of 1 g hydrocortisone intravenously and 10 mg loratadine orally. In spite of this treatment he experienced acute respiratory symptoms (cough and shortness of breath) during the following night, approx. 12 h after the challenge. NSAIDs, including aspirin but not salicylates in general, can induce allergylike symptoms in susceptible individuals. Thus approx. 1% of the treated subjects may experience urticaria and angioedema (more severe drug-related skin disorders, from erythema multiforme to toxic epidermal necrolysis, are fortunately much less common), and approx. 0.5% of them develop rhinosinusitis and asthma [1]. In addition to the oral and parenteral routes of administration, which account for the vast majority of prescriptions, in a not negligible number of cases NSAIDs are administered transdermally, with the purpose of minimizing the risk of side effects and allergylike adverse reactions. In particular, transdermal iontophoresis has been successfully employed for the topical delivery of these drugs in the treatment of localized musculoskeletal disorders [2, 3, 4, 5]. General adverse reactions to aspirin and NSAIDs administered locally (in the absence of physical modalities for delivery enhancement, such as iontophoresis and phonophoresis) are considered rare and primarily consist in gastrointestinal adverse reactions [6]. A comprehensive study published in 1994 found only 98 reports, out of 18,348 reports of NSAIDs-related adverse reactions, in which the adverse event was attributable to NSAIDs administered topically. Moreover, only 5 of Eur J Clin Pharmacol (2002) 58: 641–642 DOI 10.1007/s00228-002-0533-7