rosin and abietic-acid

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bandages; Diterpenes; Female; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Inflammation; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Phenanthrenes; Rats; Resins, Plant; Tars; Wound Healing; Wound Infection; Zinc; Zinc Oxide

Topics: Abietanes; Dermatitis, Atopic; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Music; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Glioma is the most common brain tumor and its treatment options are limited. Abietic acid and dehydroabietic acid are tricyclic diterpenoid oxygen compounds with strong lip solubility and anti-glioma activity. In this study, novel rosin diterpenoid derivatives were designed and synthesized using abietic acid and dehydrogenated abietic acid as lead compounds and their activities against T98G, U87MG, and U251 cells were evaluated by CCK-8 methods. The in vivo activity of compounds with stronger activity in vitro was preliminarily studied through the Zebrafish model. The results showed that the IC

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Diterpenes; Glioma; Molecular Docking Simulation; Structure-Activity Relationship; Zebrafish

Topics: Abietanes; Adolescent; Bandages, Hydrocolloid; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Female; Humans; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant

Colophonium is a common contact allergen that is present not only in household products but also in occupational settings.. To describe the sources of occupational exposure to colophonium and the occupations at risk of colophonium allergy.. We reviewed patch test files from the years 2002 to 2017 at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health for patients with allergic reactions to colophonium and abietic acid. We analysed the patch test, occupation and exposure data of 39 patients diagnosed with occupational allergic contact dermatitis (OACD) caused by colophonium.. Of the patients examined for suspected occupational dermatitis, 4.6% (n = 118) reacted positively to colophonium. The majority of the OACD patients worked in the wood industry, as machinists, or were involved in soldering or agriculture. The most common occupational sources of exposure were coniferous wood and wood-derived materials, followed by glues, metalworking fluids, and soldering materials. Colophonium is not always mentioned in safety data sheets (SDSs), and the sources of colophonium exposure are often materials for which there are no SDSs.. OACD caused by colophonium is quite common and occurs in a variety of occupations. SDSs provide poor information for exposure assessment. Patch testing with the patient's own materials was often useful in establishing the diagnosis.

Topics: Abietanes; Adhesives; Adult; Agriculture; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Female; Finland; Humans; Male; Metallurgy; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Tracheophyta; Wood; Young Adult

Topics: Abdomen; Abietanes; Arm; Dancing; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Female; Humans; Leg Dermatoses; Neck; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Young Adult

Topics: Abietanes; Adhesives; Adolescent; Aged, 80 and over; Bandages; Bandages, Hydrocolloid; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Equipment Safety; Female; Humans; Male; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant

Rosin, an exudate of conifer trees such as Pinus masscnlana (Pinaceae), has been used to treat psoriasis for nearly two thousand years in China despite its so far undefined pharmacology. Unfortunately, the rosin intoxication is noted from time to time, but the water-boiled rosin (WBR) has been documented to be safer. This study was performed to evaluate the in vivo anti-psoriasis efficacy of WBR.. The main phytochemicals in WBR were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). WBR was evaluated in the imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation mouse model for its anti-psoriasis effect at 130, 260, and 390 mg/kg, which were set according to the dose used for patients. Through a combination of q-PCR, flow cytometry, and histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis, the in vivo efficacy was assessed in terms of the psoriasis area severity index (PASI), epidermal keratinocyte proliferation, Th1 and Th17 cell numbers in spleen, and mRNA expressions of inflammatory cytokines.. Oral administration of WBR ameliorates the psoriasis-like dermatitis in the imiquimod-generated mouse model. In particular, WBR given at 260 or 390 mg/kg significantly restores the normal keratinization of dorsal lesion if compared with the untreated psoriatic mice. Such an effect was addressed to correlate to the Th1/Th17 cell reduction in spleen and the suppressed expression of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, IL-23, TNF-α, K17, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) after the WBR administration.. WBR is effective in the imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation mouse model with the efficacy arising from its proliferation inhibition of Th1/Th17 cells and epidermal keratinocytes via the down-regulation of the relevant inflammatory cytokines such as IL-23, IL-17A, and IL-17F. Collectively, WBR harvested and processed in the traditional manner is an efficacious psoriasis-treating agent.

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Cell Proliferation; Cytokines; Female; Imiquimod; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Psoriasis; Resins, Plant; Skin; Spleen; Th1 Cells; Th17 Cells; Water

Resin known as Resina Pini is listed in the Korean and Japanese pharmacopoeias and has been used for treating skin wounds and inflammation. Resin is composed of more than 50% abietic acid and 10% neutral substances.. In the present study, the wound-healing effects of abietic acid and the possible underlying mechanism of action were investigated in various in vitro and in vivo models.. The effects of abietic acid on tube formation and migration were measured in human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Protein expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation was evaluated via Western blotting analysis. The wound-healing effects of abietic acid were assessed using a mouse model of cutaneous wounds.. The results showed that abietic acid enhanced cell migration and tube formation in HUVECs. Abietic acid induced significant angiogenic potential, which is associated with upregulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 expression. Additionally, 0.8μM abietic acid-treated groups showed accelerated wound closure compared to the controls in a mouse model of cutaneous wounds.. The current data indicate that abietic acid treatment elevated cell migration and tube formation in HUVECs by the activation of ERK and p38 MAPKs. We suggest that abietic acid can be developed as a wound-healing agent.

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Blotting, Western; Cell Movement; Disease Models, Animal; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Neovascularization, Physiologic; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Resins, Plant; Skin; Wound Healing; Wounds and Injuries

Mutualism between insects and fungi drives insect evolutionary diversification and niche expansion; for invasive insects, however, mechanisms by which they maintain mutualistic relationships with beneficial fungi have not been clearly explored. Here, we report that an invasive herbivorous insect, the red turpentine beetle (RTB), with its co-invasive mutualistic fungus, Leptographium procerum, has newly acquired a set of sympatric fungi during invasion, which could potentially outcompete the RTB mutualistic fungus. Host pine Pinus tabuliformis exhibited more rosin-based responses to the sympatric fungi than to RTB mutualistic fungus and, in return, the rapidly induced rosin suppressed the sympatric fungi more significantly than L. procerum. In addition, from direct fungal pairing competitions, we found that the antagonistic effects of sympatric fungi on L. procerum were drastically reduced under induced rosin defense. Our results together with previous findings imply that pine oleoresin defense (turpentine and rosin) might have been exploited by the invasive mutualistic fungus L. procerum, which helps to explain its invasion success and, by extension, its mutualistic partner RTB in China.

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; China; Herbivory; Insect Vectors; Introduced Species; Ophiostomatales; Pinus; Resins, Plant; Symbiosis; Sympatry; Weevils

Abietic acid, a constituent of pine resin, is naturally derived from abietadiene --a process that requires four enzymes: one (abietadiene synthase) for conversion of the acyclic, achiral geranylgeranyl diphosphate to the polycyclic, chiral abietadiene (a complex process involving the copalyl diphosphate intermediate) and then three to oxidize a single methyl group of abietadiene to the corresponding carboxylic acid. In previous work (Nature Chem.2009, 1, 384), electronic structure calculations on carbocation rearrangements leading to abietadienyl cation revealed an interesting potential energy surface with a bifurcating reaction pathway (two transition-state structures connected directly with no intervening minimum), which links two products--one natural and one not yet isolated from Nature. Herein we describe direct dynamics simulations of the key step in the formation of abietadiene (in the gas phase and in the absence of the enzyme). The simulations reveal that abietadiene synthase must intervene in order to produce abietadiene selectively, in essence steering this reaction to avoid the generation of byproducts with different molecular architectures.

Topics: Abietanes; Isomerases; Models, Chemical; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Organophosphates; Resins, Plant

The compositions of colophony resins obtained from Pinus brutia Ten trees by three different methods (acid paste, carved hole and scraping) from Ayvacik, Gökova and Kemalpaşa in Turkey were analyzed by capillary GC-MS. The main components were the monoterpenes alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and delta3-carene, and the diterpenic resin acids palustric, abietic, kaur-9(11)-16-en-18-oic and neoabietic acid. The synthetic colophony resins exhibited similar contents to those of the natural resins obtained from the Gökova and Kemalpaşa regions of Turkey. However, colophony resins from Ayvacik exhibited only half the diterpenic acid content as those of the Gökova and Kemalpaşa resins. Out of the three techniques, the carved hole method caused rather different percentages in the constituents of the essential oils.

Topics: Abietanes; Diterpenes; Monoterpenes; Pinus; Resins, Plant

An investigation was undertaken to establish the concentration in paper products of dehydroabietic (DHA) and abietic (AA) resin acids, present in rosin, which are major toxicants of pulp- and paper-mill effluent. Their migration was studied from paper and paperboard products into various food-simulating solvents and the substitute fatty food simulant Tenax TA (modified polyphenylene oxide). DHA and AA were detected in five of 10 virgin paper products and in all 10 recycled paperboard products for food-contact use at concentrations of 14-500 and 110-1200 microg/g, respectively. In virgin paper products, the highest migration was into 95% ethanol or heptane, with negligible or no migration into other solvents. In recycled paperboard products, migration was highest into 95% ethanol, but was also observed into 20% ethanol, water and heptane. Migration to Tenax TA was also observed and the migration level increased with time. The maximum migration levels of DHA and AA into food simulants were 0.853 and 3.14 microg/g, respectively. The results suggest that, in the worst case, the daily intake of DHA and AA from paper and paperboard products was 50 times lower than the tolerable daily intake of rosin.

Topics: Abietanes; Conservation of Natural Resources; Environmental Pollutants; Ethanol; Food Contamination; Food Packaging; Heptanes; Paper; Phenanthrenes; Polymers; Resins, Plant; Solvents; Temperature; Time Factors

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Bivalvia; Carboxylic Acids; Digestive System; Diterpenes; Epithelial Cells; Industry; NADPH Dehydrogenase; Paper; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Water Pollutants, Chemical

In this study, the effect of different grades of rosin and hydrogenated resin on the setting time of Grossman cement was evaluated. The experiments were carried following the American Dental Association Specification number 57 for root canal sealers. For this analysis, different Grossman cement powders were prepared using different grades of rosin (X,WW and WG) and hydrogenated resin (Staybelite and Staybelite ester 10). The pH and electrical conductance of the different grades of rosin and hydrogenated resin were evaluated. The physicochemical properties of the Grossman cements obtained with the different grades of rosin and hydrogenated resins interfere in the powder-liquid ratio of the cements. The sealers obtained with the hydrogenated resin showed a higher powder-liquid ratio.

Topics: Abietanes; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Diterpenes; Electric Conductivity; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Phenanthrenes; Powders; Resins, Plant; Resins, Synthetic; Root Canal Filling Materials; Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement

Exposure to rosin during a variety of uses has been associated with dermal and pulmonary sensitization. Oxidized resin acids are present in many rosin products, and have been regarded as the main sensitizing rosin compounds in cases of dermal sensitization. This research describes oxidized resin acids identified in aerosol produced during soldering with rosin core solder. Oxidized resin acids found were 7-oxodehydroabietic acid, 15-hydroxydehydroabietic acid, and 7-hydroxydehydroabietic acid. The presence of oxidized compounds known to be dermal sensitizers in aerosol from rosin flux soldering supports the hypothesis that resin acid compounds are pulmonary sensitizers as previously proposed. Changes in the composition of resin acid aerosol derived from heated rosin core solder (compared with the parent material) are described.

Topics: Abietanes; Aerosols; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Asthma; Chromatography, Gas; Diterpenes; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Mass Spectrometry; Oxidation-Reduction; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Components of colophony (rosin) resin acids are sensitizers through dermal and pulmonary exposure to heated and unheated material. Significant work in the literature identifies specific resin acids and their oxidation products as sensitizers. Pulmonary exposure to colophony sensitizers has been estimated indirectly through formaldehyde exposure. To assess pulmonary sensitization from airborne resin acids, direct measurement is desired, as the degree to which aldehyde exposure correlates with that of resin acids during colophony heating is undefined. Any analytical method proposed should be applicable to a range of compounds and should also identify specific compounds present in a breathing zone sample. This work adapts OSHA Sampling and Analytical Method 58, which is designed to provide airborne concentration data for coal tar pitch volatile solids by air filtration through a glass fiber filter, solvent extraction of the filter, and gravimetric analysis of the non-volatile extract residue. In addition to data regarding total soluble material captured, a portion of the extract may be subjected to compound-specific analysis. Levels of soluble solids found during personal breathing zone sampling during electronics soldering in a Naval Aviation Depot ranged from below the "reliable quantitation limit" reported in the method to 7.98 mg/m3. Colophony-spiked filters analyzed in accordance with the method (modified) produced a limit of detection for total solvent-soluble colophony solids of 10 micrograms/filter. High performance liquid chromatography was used to identify abietic acid present in a breathing zone sample.

Topics: Abietanes; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Aircraft; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diterpenes; Electronics; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Solubility; Solvents; Tars

In order to investigate the contact allergens in the unmodified colophony (rosin) used in routine patch testing, preparative chromatographic techniques were used to separate its components which were then patch tested on colophony-sensitive individuals. The chemical structure of the dermatologically active components was elucidated using mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance and infra-red techniques. The study shows that oxidized resin acids are stronger sensitizers than the resin acids themselves, the most potent contact allergen being 7-oxydehydroabietic acid (purity 92%). At naturally occurring concentrations (relative to abietic acid) all unoxidized resin acids were found to play an insignificant part, individually, in colophony dermatitis, except abietic acid (purity 99%), which was found to be a weak but important allergen. The commercial Trolab abietic acid preparation (unknown purity) was found to be dermatologically more active than purified abietic acid.

Topics: Abietanes; Adult; Allergens; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Diterpenes; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

As part of the investigation of sources of exposure to rosin allergens, disposable diapers (napkins) common on the Swedish market were analyzed, using gas chromatography, to detect the main rosin compounds. Rosin components were detected in all diapers, the highest amounts in those from the 2 major producers. In these diapers, more rosin was found in the top layer, which is in close contact with the skin than in the fluff. Despite the possibly minimal risk of induction of sensitization to rosin allergens in diapers, there is a real risk of elicitation of dermatitis in sensitive individuals, especially since penetration is enhanced by occlusion and irritation. Such material is not only used for infant diapers, but also for adult incontinence products and feminine hygiene products.

Topics: Abietanes; Adult; Allergens; Chromatography, Gas; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Diterpenes; Humans; Incontinence Pads; Infant; Infant Care; Irritants; Menstrual Hygiene Products; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Risk Factors; Sweden

Topics: Abietanes; Adhesives; Adult; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Diterpenes; Female; Humans; Phenanthrenes; Plastics; Resins, Plant; Urticaria

A connection between patch test reactions to paper extracts and contact allergy to rosin (colophony) has been demonstrated.. We wanted to determine whether a difference in the allergenic activity of various types of paper is related to a difference in the pulp.. Patients with dermatitis who were frequently exposed to paper were patch tested with extracts from various papers and the standard series. The extracts were also tested in volunteers with or without contact allergy to rosin and in animals. The rosin compounds in the papers were analyzed by gas chromatography.. The subjects reacting to paper extracts also reacted to rosin. Most reactions were found to the papers produced from mechanical pulps, which contained the highest analyzed amounts of rosin compounds. Animals sensitized to rosin reacted only to paper from mechanical pulp.. Papers based on mechanical pulps that are considered to be environmentally friendly have a greater potential to elicit positive patch test reactions than papers made from other pulps. The increased use of mechanical pulps in different applications may increase the incidence of rosin-related hand eczema.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Irritant; Dermatitis, Occupational; Diterpenes; Eczema; Female; Guinea Pigs; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Immunization; Male; Paper; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Topics: Abietanes; Adhesives; Cosmetics; Diterpenes; Female; Humans; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Tars

Adhesives and bandages containing zinc oxide (ZnO) and rosin are often used for treatment of ulcers. The aim of this work was to study a possible inhibitory effect of ZnO on the elicitation of allergic contact reactions to rosin and to determine whether such an effect might be due to the formation of zinc resinates. Patch testing in rosin-sensitive patients was performed with mixes of ZnO and rosin. The eliciting capacities of one mix in which zinc resinates might be formed and another mix in which the formation of zinc resinates was prevented, were compared to the eliciting capacity of rosin alone. If a reduction of the allergic response was observed for the mix in which zinc resinates might form and if no reduction was observed for the mix in which formation of zinc resinates was prevented, this would support the hypothesis that the reduction in eliciting capacity was due to formation of zinc resinates. However, we could not see any difference in eliciting capacity when comparing the 2 mixes with a test preparation of rosin. Commercial adhesives (bandages) containing ZnO and rosin were patch tested in 7 rosin-sensitive patients. The concentration of abietic acid in the adhesives was determined with HPLC. Abietic acid was detected in all but one of those declared to contain rosin. The patients reacted to the adhesives in which abietic acid was detected. For rosin-sensitive persons, the addition of ZnO to rosin-containing adhesives cannot be regarded as an appropriate measure to inhibit the elicitation of allergic reactions.

Topics: Abietanes; Adhesives; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatologic Agents; Diterpenes; Humans; Occlusive Dressings; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Tars; Zinc Oxide

Topics: Abietanes; Adult; Dermatitis, Occupational; Diterpenes; Eczema; General Surgery; Humans; Male; Paper; Phenanthrenes; Protective Clothing; Resins, Plant; Tars

Degradation of abietic, levopimaric and dehydroabietic acids after exposure to air and light over a period of one to several months, as well as examination of degraded French tall oil rosin and Portuguese colophony, led to the isolation of numerous oxidation products. These compounds were synthesized and consigned to experimental sensitization in guinea pigs. From 20 substances studied as acids or as their methyl esters, in the present and preceding paper, at least 2 can be named: 8,12-peroxydo-delta 13(14)-dihydroabietic acid and 12 alpha-hydroxyabietic acid, that contribute a great deal to colophony allergy by both their sensitizing capacity and their determined concentration in the mixture of degradation products. We recommend the preparation of a new mixture of colophony oxidation products for patch testing in the diagnosis of contact allergy to colophony.

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Diterpenes; Fibrinolytic Agents; Guinea Pigs; Methyl Ethers; Oxidation-Reduction; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant; Tars

To investigate whether esterification of rosin with polyalcohols changes its allergenic potential, abietic acid, the main component of rosin, was esterified with glycerol at high temperature. The major product formed was isolated and identified, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infra-red (IR) and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses, as glyceryl triabietate (GTA), an ester between one glycerol molecule and 3 abietic acid molecules. According to animal experiments GTA was not allergenic and no cross-reactivity was seen to allergens in unmodified rosin. When testing patients allergic to unmodified rosin, no reactions were found to GTA. Some of the patients reacted to glycerol- and pentaerythritol-esterified rosins. According to HPLC analyses, these esterified rosins still contained unmodified material to which the patients may have reacted. It seems that the esterification of rosin with polyalcohols such as glycerol reduces its allergenic activity, possibly because of the formation of much larger molecules with reduced bioavailability. However, making methyl esters of rosin causes little alteration in the molecular weights of the components and, when unmodified and methylated rosin were tested in patients, we saw no difference between the 2 forms.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diterpenes; Esterification; Female; Glycerol; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Triglycerides

Two groups of patients were studied, one with known contact allergy to colophony and hand eczema, 'colophony patients', and the other consisted of patients who suspected that their eczema was caused by contact with paper, 'paper patients'. The 'colophony patients' were patch tested with samples of newsprint paper, while the 'paper patients' were tested with samples of their own paper. Extracts of the paper and paper were applied. Testing with paper caused no reactions. All 'colophony patients' showed strong reactions to the tested extracts of newsprint paper. None of the 'paper patients' reacted to the extracts of their own paper, except those patch-test positive to colophony or maleopimaric acid, the main component of one type of modified colophony in paper size and shown experimentally to be a potent sensitizer. Colophony in paper may contribute to hand eczema in sensitized patients and the use of cotton gloves when in contact with paper might alleviate the dermatitis.

Topics: Abietanes; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Female; Fibrinolytic Agents; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Male; Newspapers as Topic; Occupational Diseases; Paper; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Triterpenes

The growth inhibiting capacity of zinc oxide combined with ordinary rosin (Portuguese rosin), abietic acid or dehydroabietic acid was studied using two different methods. To mimic the actual treatment of wounds, circular tapes or sensitivity discs were placed on Müller-Hinton-agar plates that had been seeded with various facultative aerobic bacteria, and the zones of inhibition were measured. The agar dilution method was used to measure the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Inhibition of growth was restricted to Gram-positive facultative aerobic bacteria for the individual substances zinc oxide, Portuguese rosin, or resin acids, as well as for combinations of these. In general the combination of zinc oxide and dehydroabietic acid was a more potent antibacterial substance than the corresponding combination of zinc with rosin or abietic acid. These combinations commonly had synergistic antibacterial effects.

Topics: Abietanes; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Diterpenes; Drug Interactions; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Streptococcus; Zinc Oxide

9 oxidation products of abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, and levopimaric acid were prepared synthetically to determine their sensitizing potential in guinea pigs. It was found that compounds with epoxy and peroxo groups in rings A and B had a notable sensitizing potential. The same result was found with 7-oxode-hydroabietic acid identified earlier in rosin (3) and a polar fraction obtained from commercial abietic acid, suggesting the presence of still unidentified oxidation products. Hydroxylation of rings A or B, or conversion to the methyl esters, considerably decreases the sensitizing potential. A model is presented underlining the importance of hydrophobic and polar domains, in addition to chemically reactive groupings, in the allergen. Insertion into the lipid bilayer may play an important rôle in contact sensitivity.

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Female; Guinea Pigs; Oxidation-Reduction; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

A method for detection of rosin (colophony) in technical products has been developed. The technique, using HPLC, is based on the analysis of abietic acid and dehydroabietic acid, major components of rosin. In the procedure described in this paper, the limit of detection was 0.001% for abietic acid and 0.015% for dehydroabietic acid. An average recovery of 88.9% for abietic acid and 88.2% for dehydroabietic acid was obtained. The lowest detectable amount of abietic acid (0.001%) corresponds to a content of 0.003% unmodified rosin in the product, assuming that the resin acid content in rosin is 90%, of which 30-50% is abietic acid. This is an acceptable limit compared to the reactivity in patients with known allergy to rosin. Technical products for analysis were supplied by different Swedish manufacturers, who also gave the approximate content of rosin in the various products. The content of rosin determined in the products was in accordance with the contents given by the manufacturers.

Topics: Abietanes; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diterpenes; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Diterpenes; Humans; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Abietic acid is the main component of rosin. It is readily oxidized by air and its oxidation products are considered to be mainly responsible for the allergenic effect. Hydrogenation of the conjugated double bonds of abietic acid decreases its susceptibility to air oxidation and would thus reduce the allergenicity of rosin. Portuguese gum rosin was therefore hydrogenated and its allergenicity was compared with that of unmodified rosin in animal experiments and by patch testing in humans. Its sensitizing potential was determined in 2 studies. No response was found according to the FCAT method while the GPMT gave significant response in the animals challenged with the highest test concentration. Hydrogenated rosin showed no eliciting activity in animals induced with unmodified rosin according to the GPMT method. A marked decrease was found in the frequency of allergic reactions to hydrogenated rosin compared to the reactions to unmodified rosin in patients with known allergy to gum rosin. We conclude that elimination of the unsaturated non-aromatic compounds by hydrogenation considerably reduces the allergenicity of Portuguese gum rosin.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Female; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Hydrogen; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Colophony (rosin) is a widespread material which is obtained from species of the family Pinaceae. It has a complex chemical composition, which differs depending mainly on the recovery process. The global production is about one million tons a year and the largest single consumption is in the sizing of paper and paper board. Rosin is a common cause of contact allergy and is included in the standard tray for patch testing at dermatological clinics. Unmodified gum rosin is the material mainly used in the routine series. It is desirable to test with identified allergens in order to make the testing and diagnosis more reliable and establish a strategy for prevention. The principal aims of the present study were to compare the allergenicity of rosin of different origins, to isolate and identify some of the allergens in unmodified gum rosin, and to attempt to diminish the allergenic potential of rosin preparations. Tall oil rosin and different types of gum rosin were tested in guinea pigs and in man. The test reactivity corresponded well when comparing gum rosin from different sources, while tall oil rosin showed a lower reactivity. However, testing with more than one rosin preparation in the routine series detected additional cases. A clear dose-response relationship was obtained by patch testing with gum rosin, implying that a concentration of 10% in petrolatum is well worth considering for routine testing. Unmodified Portuguese gum rosin was fractionated by chromatographic methods. Isolated fractions and components were tested for eliciting activity in guinea pigs sensitive to gum rosin. Pure compounds were also tested in patients with known allergy to gum rosin. The structures of the isolated allergens were elucidated using spectroscopic methods. Abietic acid, the classical colophony allergen, was found not to be allergenic, while oxidation products of abietic acid and dehydroabietic acid were identified as allergens. The isolated allergens showed a pattern of cross-reactivity in the animal experiments as well as among patients with known allergy to gum rosin. 15-Hydroperoxyabietic acid was identified as one of the main allergens, apparently formed by air oxidation of abietic acid. Gum rosin was hydrogenated in order to minimize the content of easily oxidized acids of the abietic type. The hydrogenated gum rosin showed a reduced allergenic activity compared to unmodified rosin both in animal experiments and patch testing in man.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Female; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant

In order to investigate whether abietic acid itself is the allergenic component of colophony, 2 commercial samples were extensively purified and tested in guinea pigs and in colophony-sensitive patients. In the modified FCAT method, sensitization was obtained with Portuguese colophony and when challenged with purified abietic acid, the animals showed no reaction. In the GMPT method, the animals were exposed to purified abietic acid. Challenging with 2 different samples of it gave no significant reaction. When patch tested, patients sensitive to colophony showed no reactions to abietic acid which had been purified immediately before the test. It is concluded that abietic acid itself is not a contact allergen.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Intradermal Tests; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant

Flux cored solder commonly used in the electronics industry is a metal alloy, based on tin and lead, and a flux consisting of colophony with a small concentration of an activator. Thirty-four electronics workers with occupational asthma and seventeen with respiratory symptoms, probably from other causes, have been investigated by occupational type bronchial provocation testing. All the sensitized workers had a significant fall in FEV1 after exposure to colophony fumes for 15 min or less. The non-sensitized workers had no significant reactivity to this test. There was little correlation between the reaction to colophony fumes and the non specific reactivity to histamine, suggesting that colophony fumes were causing specific sensitization. In sensitized workers Portuguese Y colophony was found to cause slightly larger reactions than similar exposures to American WW colophony. In the six workers tested reactions followed exposure to abietic acid alone, the principal resin acid in colophony. Methylation of the carboxyl group of colophony was associated with decreased reactivity. Workers with non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity also sometimes reacted after exposure to fumes from the flux activators alone, but even this reaction could show specificity for the specific activator to which the workers was exposed. Finally two non-colophony substitute materials were evaluated.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Asthma; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Carboxylic Acids; Diterpenes; Electronics; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant; Time Factors

Patch-tests made in 13 persons who were allergic to colophony revealed quite different allergologic profiles. Some patients reacted only to abietylic alcohol while others did not react to abietic acid. Methylabietate used as plasticizer in sticking-plasters and especially "hypoallergic" ones, had an allergizing effect in 6 out of 12 cases.

Topics: Abietanes; Carboxylic Acids; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Humans; Patch Tests; Petrolatum; Phenanthrenes; Resins, Plant