title: Parthenium dermatitis: is parthenolide an effective choice for patch testing?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patch test positivity to parthenolide was observed less often than expected in strongly suspected cases of parthenium dermatitis after Chemotechnique Diagnostics (Sweden) replaced parthenium extract with parthenolide (0.5% pet.) by itself while marketing its Indian baseline series for patch testing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was performed to find whether parthenolide detects parthenium contact sensitivity more effectively than parthenium extract in patients clinically presenting with classic parthenium dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred consecutive patients with suspected parthenium dermatitis were patch tested prospectively with the Indian baseline series, parthenium extract (1% aq.) and parthenolide (0.5% pet.) between July 2011 and April 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 37 of 100 patients with suspected parthenium dermatitis (male/female ratio of 20:17) reacted to parthenium extract (32 patients), parthenolide (17 patients), or both (12 patients). Reactions to parthenium extract were generally stronger than reactions to parthenolide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patch testing with parthenolide (0.5% pet.) detects fewer cases of suspected parthenium dermatitis than patch testing with parthenium extract (1% aq.).
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, Dr R. P. Govt. Medical College, Kangra (Tanda), 176001, India.
authors.forename: Vikram K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Mahajan
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Mrinal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Pushpinder S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Karaninder S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019659:Asteraceae; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010312:Parthenogenesis; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D055815:Young Adult; D000097762:Parthenium hysterophorus
chemical_list: C519376:Parthenium hysterophorus extract; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C002669:parthenolide
keywords: Parthenium hysterophorus; airborne contact dermatitis; parthenin; parthenium dermatitis; parthenium extract; parthenolide; patch testing