title: Sesquiterpene lactone dermatitis. Cross-sensitivity in costus-sensitized patients.
abstract: Thirteen costus-sensitive patients were patch tested with 38 sesquiterpene lactones of five different classes over a two-year period. Cross-reacting agents fell into two chemical categories: (1) those that resembled the primary sensitizer, and (2) those belonging to different skeletal classes. An exocyclic methylene group conjugated to a gamma-lactone was present in both chemicals that cross-reacted and those that did not. The difference between these two groups is that cross-reacting chemicals are not highly substituted, tending to be lipophilic, while those giving negative responses all are highly substituted at the C-8/C-6 position. This functional group may hinder binding of exocyclic methylene with skin protein or the actual antigenic site with an immune receptor cell.
mesh_terms: D003429:Cross Reactions; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000009:adverse effects; D010328:Patch Tests; D010476:Perfume / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D007783:Lactones; D010476:Perfume; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012717:Sesquiterpenes