Biomaterial Database

Critical incident: idiosyncratic allergic reactions to essential oils. 2004

W Maddocks-Jennings

Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Universal College of Learning, Palmerston North, New Zealand. W.Maddocks@ucol.ac.nz

Essential oils have the potential to initiate allergic reactions due to their volatile and skin absorbent nature. Practitioners and aromatherapy teachers need to be aware of the potential for allergies and be equipped to deal with them if they should arise. Two cases are presented of potentially serious reactions that occurred within a learning situation along with a brief literature critique about allergic reactions to essential oils.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006969	Hypersensitivity, Immediate	Hypersensitivity reactions which occur within minutes of exposure to challenging antigen due to the release of histamine which follows the antigen-antibody reaction and causes smooth muscle contraction and increased vascular permeability.	Atopic Hypersensitivity,Hypersensitivity, Atopic,Hypersensitivity, Type I,IgE-Mediated Hypersensitivity,Type I Hypersensitivity,Atopic Hypersensitivities,Hypersensitivities, Atopic,Hypersensitivities, IgE-Mediated,Hypersensitivities, Immediate,Hypersensitivities, Type I,Hypersensitivity, IgE-Mediated,IgE Mediated Hypersensitivity,IgE-Mediated Hypersensitivities,Immediate Hypersensitivities,Immediate Hypersensitivity,Type I Hypersensitivities
D009822	Oils, Volatile	Oils which evaporate readily. The volatile oils occur in aromatic plants, to which they give odor and other characteristics. Most volatile oils consist of a mixture of two or more TERPENES or of a mixture of an eleoptene (the more volatile constituent of a volatile oil) with a stearopten (the more solid constituent). The synonym essential oils refers to the essence of a plant, as its perfume or scent, and not to its indispensability.	Essential Oil,Oil, Essential,Oil, Volatile,Oils, Essential,Volatile Oil,Essential Oils,Volatile Oils
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000280	Administration, Inhalation	The administration of drugs by the respiratory route. It includes insufflation into the respiratory tract.	Drug Administration, Inhalation,Drug Administration, Respiratory,Drug Aerosol Therapy,Inhalation Drug Administration,Inhalation of Drugs,Respiratory Drug Administration,Aerosol Drug Therapy,Aerosol Therapy, Drug,Drug Therapy, Aerosol,Inhalation Administration,Administration, Inhalation Drug,Administration, Respiratory Drug,Therapy, Aerosol Drug,Therapy, Drug Aerosol
D000287	Administration, Topical	The application of drug preparations to the surfaces of the body, especially the skin (ADMINISTRATION, CUTANEOUS) or mucous membranes. This method of treatment is used to avoid systemic side effects when high doses are required at a localized area or as an alternative systemic administration route, to avoid hepatic processing for example.	Drug Administration, Topical,Administration, Topical Drug,Topical Administration,Topical Drug Administration,Administrations, Topical,Administrations, Topical Drug,Drug Administrations, Topical,Topical Administrations,Topical Drug Administrations
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D018653	Juniperus	A plant genus of the family CUPRESSACEAE. The species are slow growing coniferous evergreen trees or shrubs.	Cade,Cedar, Red Eastern,Cedar, Western,Juniper,Eastern Red Cedar,Juniper, Common,Juniperus communis,Juniperus occidentalis,Juniperus oxycedrus,Juniperus virginiana,Red Cedar, Eastern,Western Cedar,Cades,Cedar, Eastern Red,Cedars, Eastern Red,Cedars, Red Eastern,Cedars, Western,Common Juniper,Common Junipers,Eastern Cedar, Red,Eastern Cedars, Red,Eastern Red Cedars,Junipers,Junipers, Common,Juniperus communi,Juniperus occidentali,Juniperus virginianas,Red Cedars, Eastern,Red Eastern Cedar,Red Eastern Cedars,Western Cedars,communi, Juniperus,occidentali, Juniperus,virginianas, Juniperus
D019341	Aromatherapy	The use of fragrances and essences from plants to affect or alter a person's mood or behavior and to facilitate physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The chemicals comprising essential oils in plants has a host of therapeutic properties and has been used historically in Africa, Asia, and India. Its greatest application is in the field of alternative medicine. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed; from Dr. Atiba Vheir, Dove Center, Washington, D.C.)	Aroma Therapy,Therapy, Aroma,Aroma Therapies,Aromatherapies,Therapies, Aroma
D027523	Lavandula	A plant genus of the LAMIACEAE family.	Lavender,Lavandula angustifolia,Lavenders