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Colophony allergy: a review
Author(s) -
Downs Anthony M. R.,
Sansom Jane E.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1999.tb06178.x
Subject(s) - rosin , allergy , contact allergy , chemistry , organic chemistry , medicine , contact dermatitis , resin acid , immunology
Colophony is a complex mixture of over 100 compounds derived from pine trees. It has countless applications at home and at work and exposure to colophony and modied‐colophony is universal. It is the oxidation products of unmodied and modied colophony and some of the new resin acids synthesized during modication that are the principle allergens in colophony. The neutral fraction may account for a small % of positive reactions. When screening for allergy using unmodied gum rosin, allergy to modied rosin will not be revealed. When patients react to both materials, it is probably due to unmodied colophony present in both, rather than a cross‐reaction. Relevant positive reactions may be missed if only colophony 20% pet. is relied upon as the screening material.