rosin and Dermatitis--Contact

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

Rosin of different sources is commonly used in many technical products and is known to cause contact allergy. The aim of the present investigation was to study the frequency of occupational dermatoses and of contact allergy to rosin in a factory producing tall-oil rosin. 163/180 present employees and 17/35 former employees participated in the study, which consisted of interview, clinical examination and patch testing with a standard series and additional rosins. 1/4 of those examined had some kind of current skin lesion. There were 10 cases of hand eczema. 7 subjects were patch-test-positive to gum rosin in the standard series. This frequency is about the same as among dermatitis patients at our clinic. Only 1 reaction to tall-oil rosin and none to the modified rosins tested were found. No relation between a positive patch test reaction to rosin and current skin disease could be established. No case of ongoing occupational skin disease was proved.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Chemical Industry; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Eczema; Female; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant; Sweden

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of contact sensitization in patients with lower extremity dermatitis.. Between the years 2001 and 2007, the authors investigated 462 patients (mean age 49.1 years, 196 men and 266 women) with the eczema/dermatitis localized on their lower extremities, including feet. The patients were investigated with epicutaneous tests of the European Standard Series and also with other special patch tests.. The most frequent allergens were balsam of Peru, 44/462 (9.5%); wool alcohols, 41/462 (8.9%); nickel sulphate, 39/462 (8.4%); propolis, 35/462 (7.6%); fragrance mix, 34 (7.4%) and colophony, 29/462 (6.3%).. In patients with lower extremity dermatitis the frequency of contact sensitization is still high, and therefore investigation with epicutaneous tests should belong to the routine dermatological diagnostic procedure in these patients.

Topics: Animals; Balsams; Czech Republic; Dermatitis, Contact; Eczema; Female; Humans; Leg; Male; Middle Aged; Nickel; Patch Tests; Perfume; Propolis; Resins, Plant; Wool

Topics: Age of Onset; Antigens, Plant; Casts, Surgical; Child; Dermatitis, Contact; Edema; Erythema; Female; Fractures, Bone; Humans; Metacarpus; Pain; Resins, Plant

A young woman presented two distinct vesiculobullous dermatoses sharing in common her husband's imputability. She suffered from contact dermatitis due to colophony used by her husband who was violinist. During her second pregnancy, pemphigoid gestationis was diagnosed. This autoimmune disease is directed to the father's HLA class II present on the placenta. The same antibodies also interact with the dermo-epidermal junction in the mother where they induce blisters.

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; Humans; Male; Pemphigoid, Bullous; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Resins, Plant; Spouses

Rosin has a complex chemical composition. The aim of this study was to investigate if it is possible to define 1 or 2 compounds as the rosin allergens. 2 compounds, 13, 14(beta)-epoxyabietic acid and 7-oxodehydroabietic acid, identified in gum rosin and tall oil rosin, were used as screening substances for patch testing in addition to the standard series. The rosin patch detected more cases of contact allergy than the isolated allergens did. Our suggestion is to patch test with a preparation of gum rosin, as well-defined as possible, for screening. The content of oxidation products should be kept at a constant and rather high level, since these are the main allergens. A rosin series for additional testing of patients with allergic contact dermatits suspected to be caused by rosin could be a valuable tool. Gum rosin and tall oil rosin from different countries should be included, since the amounts of allergens in rosin varies due to source and mode of production. Testing with identified allergens from modified rosin products and with modified rosins could also be performed.

Topics: Abietanes; Case-Control Studies; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Epoxy Compounds; Humans; Patch Tests; Phenanthrenes; Plant Oils; Portugal; Resins, Plant; Sweden

Putative allergens in, clinical manifestations of, and patch tests with traditional Chinese medicinal materials (CMM) causing contact dermatitis (CD) were studied. 14 patients with CMM CD and 351 controls were patch tested with the standard series of allergens of Beijing Medical University and the suspected drug, as is. It was found that most CMM CD was caused by the CMM frequently used topically for analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. All patients patch tested with the suspected drug gave positive results. Some patients also reacted to fragrance mix, colophony, rubber mix and ammoniated mercury. The positivity rates of fragrance mix and colophony in CMM CD patients were significantly higher than in controls (55.6% versus 16.5% for fragrance mix, chi 2 = 11.86, p < 0.01; and 55.6% versus 5.1% for colophony, chi 2 = 29.35, p < 0.01), while not those of rubber mix and ammoniated mercury. Results indicated that the topical analgesic and anti-inflammatory CMM, especially those containing fragrance, may cause contact sensitization. Clinical findings in CMM CD included cutaneous irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, immediate contact reactions and systemic contact dermatitis. CMM CD can be diagnosed by patch testing the putative drug, as is.

Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Adolescent; Adult; Ammonia; Analgesics; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Irritant; Drug Eruptions; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Male; Mercuric Chloride; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Perfume; Resins, Plant; Rubber; Tars

In the esterification of rosin with glycerol, the main compound formed, glyceryl triabietate, shows low allergenic activity. In this study, compounds formed in smaller amounts, when abietic acid (main component in rosin) was esterified with glycerol, were identified as glyceryl-1-monoabietate (GMA), glyceryl-1,2-diabietate (GDA1,2) and glyceryl-1,3-diabietate (GDA1,3), using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infra-red (IR) and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses. According to animal experiments, GMA was a contact allergen. No cross-reactivity was seen to allergens in unmodified rosin. Some patients allergic to unmodified rosin reacted when tested with GMA. No reactions were seen to the 2 diabietates. Some patients also reacted to commercial glycerol-modified rosins. GMA together with unmodified abietic acid were identified in these rosin samples. The reactions seen in rosin-sensitive patients to commercial glycerol-esterified rosins probably derive from the unmodified material still present in the product, but could also be the result of GMA obtained from the glycerol derivatization.

Topics: Abietanes; Animals; Cross Reactions; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Esterification; Glycerol; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Spectrophotometry, Infrared

Colophony (rosin) is a widespread natural product obtained form species of the pine family Pinaceae. One of the most important uses of unmodified rosin is in electronic solder fluxes while the main areas of use of chemically modified rosin are paper sizing, adhesives, paints, varnishes, printing inks and plasticisers. Colophony is well recognized as a skin sensitizer and is also the third highest cause of occupational asthma. However, the specific allergens involved particularly in occupational asthma have not been comprehensively assessed or identified. This paper reviews method of colophony production, its uses and health effects and discusses the important issue of its chemical analysis and the choice of a suitable marker for monitoring colphony fume.

Topics: Air Pollutants, Occupational; Asthma; Calorimetry; Chromatography, Gas; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromatography, Liquid; Dermatitis, Contact; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Resins, Plant; Tars

Topics: Adolescent; Castor Oil; Collodion; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatologic Agents; Drug Combinations; Drug Eruptions; Female; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Lactates; Resins, Plant; Salicylates; Tars

Topics: Agricultural Workers' Diseases; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Resins, Plant; Tars

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Industry; Male; Occupational Exposure; Paint; Paper; Resins, Plant; Tars

Topics: Aged; Dental Impression Materials; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Lichen Planus; Male; Mouth Mucosa; Resins, Plant; Tars

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

Contact allergy to various components in cosmetics may cause eyelid dermatitis. Of 8 mascaras analysed with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), 3 contained colophony. Patients with contact allergy to colophony showed positive patch test reactions when tested with the two mascaras with the highest content of colophony. One mascara without colophony but containing nickel, gave positive reactions in persons with contact allergy to nickel.

Topics: Blepharitis; Chromium; Cobalt; Cosmetics; Dermatitis, Contact; Drug Hypersensitivity; Europe; Female; Humans; Irritants; Nickel; Resins, Plant; Sweden

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Male; Resins, Plant; Tars

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Drug Eruptions; Humans; Male; Resins, Plant; Warts

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Music; Potassium Dichromate; Resins, Plant; Tars

Contact allergy to a wound dressing with an adhesive mass consisting of colophony, zinc oxide and rubber (Mezinc) was studied in 179 patients with a history of eczema. 12 patients were found to be allergic to colophony, whereas only 4 of these patients also showed a positive patch test reaction to the wound dressing. 14 patients with verified moderate contact allergy to colophony were patch tested with adhesive mass (10%), Portuguese colophony (10%), zinc oxide (10%), purified resin acids (10%), and Portuguese colophony (10%), in combination with zinc oxide. Only 3 patients reacted to the adhesive mass, whereas all patients showed a positive patch test reaction to Portuguese colophony. A combination of zinc oxide (10%) with Portuguese colophony (10%) provoked a positive patch test reaction in only 5 of these 14 patients. An allergic reaction to abietic acid (90-95% purity) was found in 7 patients and to neoabietic acid (99 + %) in 3 patients, whereas no reactions to dehydroabietic (99 + %), isopimaric (99 + %) or levopimaric acids (98 + %) were found.

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occlusive Dressings; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; 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

3 minor resin acids and 7 commercial modified-colophony products of different origins were studied by experimental sensitization by means of a modified FCA method. All 3 resin acids were almost negative. The commercial products gave different results. While the maleic-modified product of Greek origin showed a strong sensitizing power, the fumaric-modified, terpene-phenol-modified and a disproportioned rosin were only moderate. A remarkable difference was obtained with the Swedish and Finnish tall oil rosins, which, in contrast to the previously studied French product, exhibited only a weak sensitizing capacity.

Topics: Animals; Cross Reactions; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Freund's Adjuvant; Guinea Pigs; Injections, Intradermal; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant; Tars

The authors describe two cases of allergic contact dermatitis to colophony included in the formulation of flexible collodion BP, the vehicle of a wart paint. Patch and repeated open application tests confirmed absence of contact allergy to other constituents. The patients were known to be allergic to various adhesive plasters. The use of flexible collodion USP, which does not contain colophony, is highly advisable whenever possible.

Topics: Adult; Collodion; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Humans; Lactates; Lactic Acid; Patch Tests; Pharmaceutical Vehicles; Resins, Plant; Salicylates; Skin Diseases; Warts

Topics: Chewing Gum; Child; Dermatitis, Contact; Facial Dermatoses; Humans; Male; Resins, Plant

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatologic Agents; Fingers; Gels; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Keratolytic Agents; Male; Resins, Plant; Warts

The allergenicity of the maleic-modified rosins and their esters has been studied. The unesterified resins are mainly used in paper size and the esters in printing inks, varnishes and adhesives. The levopimaric-maleic anhydride Diels-Alder adduct (maleopimaric acid) is the main component obtained in the maleic-modified rosins. This compound was synthesized and its structure was determined. Its sensitizing potential was investigated in guinea pigs according to different methods. It was shown that maleopimaric acid is a very potent sensitizer, comparable with the strongest allergen isolated from unmodified gum rosin. The allergen may also be present after esterification unless the process is carried out to completion. The animals sensitized to maleopimaric acid did not react to unmodified rosin, which shows that maleopimaric acid is structurally different from the allergens in rosin.

Topics: Allergens; Animals; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dermatitis, Contact; Guinea Pigs; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Triterpenes

Topics: Air Pollutants, Occupational; Chronic Disease; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Facial Dermatoses; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Photosensitivity Disorders; Resins, Plant

42 out of 93 Saskatchewan Indians (32 female (F) and 10 male (M] with actinic prurigo were patch tested to standard series allergens between 1983 and 1987. Positive reactions were most frequently seen with nickel (3F:2M) and colophony. All 3 positive patch tests to colophony were in males. The same patients were also patch tested to extracts of 21 Saskatchewan plants and 3 Hollister-Stier plant extracts. Only 1 male and 2 females had positive patch tests. None of these 3 had rashes on the eyelids, behind the ears or under the chin. We conclude that plant contact dermatitis is unlikely to be mistaken for actinic prurigo in Saskatchewan.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Child; Dermatitis, Contact; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Indians, North American; Male; Middle Aged; Nickel; Patch Tests; Plants; Pollen; Prurigo; Resins, Plant; Saskatchewan; Sex Factors; Skin Tests

A 29-year-old woman developed allergic contact dermatitis from colophony 1 year after an allogenic bone-marrow transplant for refractory anaemia. The donor had a previous history of contact dermatitis from colophony, with a positive patch test. Although we cannot absolutely exclude active sensitization, it seems highly improbable because host immunity is severely restricted by the chemoradiotherapy used to prepare marrow graft recipients. The clinical data therefore suggest that sensitivity to colophony was passively acquired through marrow transplantation.

Topics: Adult; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Humans; Postoperative Complications; Resins, Plant; Transplantation, Homologous

The sensitizing capacity of 15 commercial colophony products was studied experimentally in guinea pigs. The study included 8 French and 6 American colophony derivatives as well as French tall oil colophony. The results indicate that tall oil colophony is the strongest sensitizing material within the tested group and that the maleic-modified products and the zinc-calcium-resinate are moderate sensitizers. Most of the modified products show a higher sensitizing capacity than the genuine resin acids themselves. Cross-reactions between the resin acids and the derivatives are uncommon. Therefore, patch testing with high concentrations of colophony (e.g., 60%) will not help to detect patients with colophony-derivative allergy.

Topics: Animals; Dermatitis, Contact; Guinea Pigs; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant

The results of patch tests with colophony in the standard series between 1983 and 1987 were analyzed. 5521 patients were tested in the Department of Dermatology, Hamburg, while 354 were tested in other clinics and private practices. Colophony was positive in 2.4% and 11.9%, respectively. Out of 62 patients in the 1st group and 75 in a 2nd group tested subsequently with 6 unmodified types of colophony and 12 types of modified-colophony products, 17 did not react to the unmodified material. However, most of them responded to 1 or more of the modified products. In the enlarged group (n = 75), reactions to Abitol and the maleic-modified products were the most frequently obtained. As the authors are convinced that the actual incidence of allergic reactions to modified-colophony products is underestimated, they propose to test a mixture of 3 materials: Chinese colophony (today 50% of the world market) and 2 derivatives (modified colophony), instead of the 60% mix of unmodified colophony, in the standard series.

Topics: Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant

7 resin acids, 3 synthetically prepared derivatives and the neutral fraction of Chinese colophony were studied by experimental sensitization using a modified FCA method. 4 resin acids, laevopimaric, abietic, podocarpic and tetrahydroabietic, proved to be weak sensitizers. Neoabietic, dehydroabietic, isopimaric acid and larixol remained negative. However, the derivatives, methyl abietate and calcium abietate, were shown to be moderate sensitizers, and the maleic-modified adduct to be a moderate to strong sensitizer. As laevopimaric acid plays only a minor rôle in colophony, abietic acid must be considered a major, even if weak, allergen in non-modified colophony. The neutral fraction of colophony is also partially involved in colophony allergy.

Topics: Animals; Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Cross Reactions; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Guinea Pigs; Immunization, Passive; Resins, Plant

Topics: Adhesives; Bandages; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; 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

7-oxodehydroabietic acid and 15-hydroxydehydroabietic acid were isolated as their methyl esters from Portuguese colophony of the gum rosin type and identified as contact allergens. Another oxidation product of dehydroabietic acid, 15-hydroxy-7-oxodehydroabietic acid, was synthesized and identified as a component of Portuguese gum rosin. 7-oxodehydroabietic acid was found to a be a grade III allergen according to the GPMT method. Guinea pigs induced with gum rosin showed only a low response to the isolated compounds, while patients with a known allergy to gum rosin reacted to a greater extent. The results imply that the content of oxidized dehydroabietic acids in gum rosin is too low to give a marked sensitization in the animals. However, the patients might have come in contact with the allergens in technically modified rosins. The compounds showed a pattern of cross-reactivity in the animal experiments as well as among the patch tested patients.

Topics: Abietanes; Allergens; Animals; Chromatography; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Immunization; Patch Tests; Portugal; Resins, Plant

Three patients are reported with allergic reactions to rosin in eye makeup: two to eyeshadow and one to mascara. In each instance, the dermatitis was bilateral and symmetrical. Several popular eyeshadow and mascara preparations contain rosin, while the Almay products are free of this ingredient. Rosin-sensitive patients should be instructed to read cosmetic ingredient labels before using any product and should realize that the European term "colophony" is a synonym for rosin. The numerous products that rosin-sensitive persons must avoid will be discussed in a future article.

Topics: Adult; Cosmetics; Dermatitis, Contact; Eyelid Diseases; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Resins, Plant

A procedure, using Freund's complete adjuvant test (FCAT), for the determination of the allergenic potential of fractions and components in colophony of the gum rosin type is described and discussed. Gum rosin was shown to be a potent sensitizer in 11 test series (153 animals). FCAT is compared with the guinea pig maximization test (GPMT). Gum rosin was a potent sensitizer according to this method as well. The FCAT method was found to be advantageous over the GPMT method in that it is technically simpler to use and a smaller amount of test substance is needed. However, closed challenge was preferred to the prescribed open challenge. The importance of statistical evaluation of the results obtained in predictive testing is stressed.

Topics: Allergens; Animals; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Freund's Adjuvant; Guinea Pigs; Resins, Plant; Skin Tests; Tars

Topics: Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Resins, Plant; Sweden; Warts

Topics: Allergens; Animals; Dermatitis, Contact; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Resins, Plant

The masseur of a famous ballet company developed severe contact dermatitis of his hands. Skin testing yielded a surprising result: not one of the suspected 23 different massage creams that the members of the ballet made him use gave a positive reaction. Only colophony, which was included in the standard test series, was positive. Colophony is regularly used on the shoes of dancers on wooden stages to prevent slipping. The masseur had to change his place of employment.

Topics: Adult; Chronic Disease; Dancing; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Erythema; Humans; Male; Massage; Resins, Plant

Soldering flux is a common cause of occupational dermatitis in the electronics industry. Several constituents of flux such as colophony, hydrazine and aminoethylethanolamine are contact allergens. A machine operator of a wave-soldering machine developed airborne allergic contact dermatitis to colophony in the flux.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Electronics; Humans; Male; Resins, Plant

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Female; Humans; Resins, Plant; Urticaria

Topics: Child; Dermatitis, Contact; Drug Eruptions; Female; Humans; Resins, Plant; Warts

Topics: Abietanes; Balsams; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Formaldehyde; Humans; Patch Tests; Perfume; Phenols; Polymers; Resins, Plant; Resins, Synthetic

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Male; Music; Resins, Plant

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Male; Paper; Perfume; Resins, Plant

Topics: Adult; Cheilitis; Cosmetics; Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Humans; Lanolin; Resins, Plant

Patients with suspected allergy to colophony were patch-tested with colophony (rosin) of different kinds (gum rosin, tall oil rosin). More cases of allergy were detected by testing with more than one type of colophony. Tall oil rosin produced a smaller number of positive reactions than the gum rosins tested, which suggests a lower allergenic activity. Venice turpentine was a useful additional screening substance. When different test concentrations were compared (20% and 5%) the lower concentration failed to reveal four of 30 cases. The patients' eczema had been caused chiefly by contact with colophony in their work.

Topics: Chromatography, Gas; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Patch Tests; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant; Skin Tests

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

Topics: Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Trees

Topics: Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Electronics; Humans; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant

Two cases of allergic contact dermatitis from soldering fluxes are reported. Both were caused by rosin (colophony). One case was confirmed by a positive patch test to rosin purchased from a commercial European patch test supplier. The other could be confirmed only by a positive patch test to the specific rosin used to flux the solder; repeated patch tests to rosin purchased from the same European supplier were negative. Dermatitis from soldering fluxes is reviewed.

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Female; Humans; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant

Colophony (rosin) has been fractionated into 2 parts, an acidic and a neutral fraction. Routine patch testing with neutral components gives positive reactions at a 40% higher frequency than routine patch testing with colophony (20%) (w/w in pet.). A concentration of 60% colophony is suggested for routine patch testing.

Topics: Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Skin Tests

Topics: Dermatitis, Contact; Female; Humans; Male; Perfume; Resins, Plant

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Male; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant; Trees

5 patients developed acute allergic contact dermatitis to a wood rosin present in the adhesive of tapes used to approximate the edges of incisions. The exposure history consistently included application after an orthopedic procedure with subsequent occlusion under a cast for 3 weeks.

Topics: Adolescent; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Male; Patch Tests; Postoperative Period; Resins, Plant; Tissue Adhesives

Topics: Adhesives; Bandages; Dermatitis, Atopic; Dermatitis, Contact; Diterpenes; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant

Colophony (rosin) derives from pine resin, tall oil and stump extractives. It is used as is or in chemically modified forms: hydrogenated, disproportionated, esterified, polymerized, as salt or reacted with maleic anhydride or formaldehyde. One of the largest single uses is in the sizing of paper and paperboard. There are hundreds of opportunities for a person to become exposed to colophony and modified products and thus sensitized to it, for example by contact with adhesive tapes, soaps, coating of price labels, eye shadow, periodontal and surgical dressings, furniture polish, glues, musician's rosin, printing inks, printing paper surfaces (newspapers), rubber, plastics etc. The main sensitising components seem to be abietic acid and Abitol (a mixture of different hydroabietyl alcohols). Dermatitis has been described in more than 60 articles; epidemiological studies demonstrate an increasing number of cases since 1980. As wood rosin has been replaced in recent years more and more by tall oil rosin, which is different in its composition, it is recommended to remove the colophony of the standard series (which is derived from pine gum) and to replace it by a mixture of pine, tall oil and stump rosin to diminish the number of probably missed allergic reactions.

Topics: Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dermatitis, Contact; Dermatitis, Occupational; Humans; Plant Oils; Resins, Plant

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

5 commercial patch-test-products were investigated by gas chromatography. Colophony was detected in three of the products, and the allergen was found in the adhesive component.

Topics: Adhesives; Chromatography, Gas; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Patch Tests; Polyethylenes; Resins, Plant; Skin Tests

Topics: Adult; Dermatitis, Contact; Humans; Male; Patch Tests; Resins, Plant