2079 A case of occupational asthma and rhinitis with anaphylaxis to Korean ginseng and sanyak

Thursday, 15 October 2015
Hall D1 Foyer (Floor 3) (Coex Convention Center)

Ji Hye Kim, MD , Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

Hye-Soo Yoo, M.D , Suwon Center for Environmental Disease and Atopy, Suwon, South Korea

Moon Gyeong Yoon, M.S , Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

Ga Young Ban, MD , Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

Yoo Seob Shin, MD, PhD , Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

Young Min Ye, MD, PhD , Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

Hae-Sim Park, MD, PhD , Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea

Korean ginseng(Panax ginseng) and Sanyak (Dioscorea batatas) are widely used as a food or herbal medicine. There have been a few cases with ginseng-induced occupational asthma (OA) and rhinitis to inhaled powder of herbal materials, such as ginseng. Here we report a case of anaphylaxis due to ginseng and Sanyak which were sensitized via inhalation..

A 55-year-old woman presented with symptoms of indigestion, abdominal pain, dyspnea and chest discomfort after ingestion of fresh ginseng and hemp juices.. She had been diagnosed as having non-allergic asthma and rhinitis. However she had an OA due to various herbal materials such as ginseng and Sanyak powders which were sensitized working as a pharmacist. Serum total IgE level was increased ( 247KU/L). Serum specific IgE to ginseng was undetectable, but positive to Sanyak extract by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). High serum specific IgG4 to ginseng extract was noted however, serum specific IgG4 to Sanyak was not detected IgE ELISA inhibition test showed significant inhibitions by hemp, not by ginseng, while IgG4 ELISA inhibition test showed significant inhibitions by ginseng, not by Sanyak, indicating that both extracts did not have a cross-reactivity which is comparable with taxonomical classification 4-20% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and IgG4-immunoblot analysis revealed two IgG4 binding components(17kDa, 24kDa). These findings suggest that although IgE or IgG4 sensitization occurs via inhalation routes, repeated exposure via oral route can induce severe food allergy and generalized symptoms such as anaphylaxis. Further additional studies including basophil activation tests with these two extracts will be needed.