Allergic and irritant reactions to plants and insects

cmbb at sk.sympatico.ca cmbb at sk.sympatico.ca
Tue Jul 31 10:20:32 EDT 2001


I friend of mine was "in to" gathering and eating wild plants.  Milkweed
pods-  he claimed was high in protein.  For human consumption boil pods in
water clearing away the white froth that gathered on the water's surface.
When water was clear, cut up pods and cook in butter.

There is a reason why we stay away from cultivating so many plants.  they
taste awful.

Martin Bailey,

cmbb at sk.sympatico.ca
phone/fax   306 842-8936

102   1833 Coteau Avenue,
Weyburn, SK., Canada.
S4H 2X3


----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Gochfeld" <gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU>
To: <monarch at saber.net>; <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 3:40 AM
Subject: Allergic and irritant reactions to plants and insects


> The mention of skin rashes and eye irritation from plants and insects is
> not new, but it is obvious that under certain cases these reactions can
> be severe and debilitating.
>
> Irritant materials are generally "irritating" to a most people with some
> variability in how individuals respond. And these reactions generally
> involve a direct toxic effect on tissues or cells. Thus fiber glass and
> sandpaper are irritating and there are many plant chemicals that are
> irritants as well.
>
> Allergic responses tend to be more idiosyncratic. Some are common (for
> example 5-20% of a population might become sensitized to nickel or
> mango) while others are rare (less than 1% of exposed people become
> sensitized). And the reaction involves the immune system.
>
> But, there may be source variability as well as receptor variability.
> Milkweeds differ in their alkaloid composition, accounting for the
> different palatability of the Monarch's that grow on them. Perhaps they
> vary as well in their ability to inflict painful responses.
>
> I regularly pull up Common Milkweed by hand and am exposed to the milky
> "sap", but I certainly anticipate that if it ever got in my eye it would
> be irritating.
>
> Another difference is that irritant reactions may occur immediately
> (within seconds or minutes).  Allergic reactions may occur within
> minutes (immediate hypersensitivity) or may take 24-48 hours to develop
> (delayed hypersensitivity).  These represent different immune
> mechanisms.
>
> It would be interesting to know how many people response adversely and
> details about the nature of the response (localized at the point of
> contact or general; symmetrical or asymmetrical).
>
> Michael Gochfeld
>
>
>
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