title: Inhibitory effect of zinc oxide on contact allergy due to colophony.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Söderberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elmros
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gref
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hallmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D010328:Patch Tests; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D012116:Resins, Plant; C013893:rosin; D015034:Zinc Oxide