Herbal pollen allergyJ30.- J45.-

In the present text, herbal varieties are listed whose pollen is of allergy-relevant importance (see also tree pollen, grass pollen and cereal pollen; see also cross-reaction). So far > 35 allergens from different herbs have been analysed. Since herbs belong to different botanical groups, the allergen spectrum is different.

Common allergy-causing herbs in Europe:

Mugwort: Together with ribwort plantain (Pla l 1) the most common allergenic herb in Germany. Art v 1, which belongs to the defensin-like protein group, is the major allergen of Artemisia vulgaris. The pollen fly from July to September; pollen size: 18 to 26 µm.

Plantain: Common allergen. Plantain blooms between May and October. Pollen size: 29-40 µm. Cross-allergies are not known.

Goosefoot: relatively rarely causes allergies. The pollen fly between July and September. Size: 19-30 µm. Cross-allergies with other herbs are rare. The major allergen Che a 1 belongs to the ole-e1-like proteins.

Ragweed: Ragweed pollen contains aggressive allergens, which are among the most important allergy triggers in North America. Amb a 1, a pectylase, is the dominant allergen in ragweed pollen with a sensitization rate of >95%. The pollen flies between August and October. Size: 18-20 µm.

Sorrel: Common trigger of allergic reactions. The pollen fly between May and August. Size: 21-33 µm. No known cross allergies.

Amaranth: Pollen of the Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae are mainly found in the warmer dry zones of the earth. Amaranthus species are now spreading mainly in southern Europe. According to a Spanish study (Vaquero C et al. 2013) their pollen is highly sensitized to polliosis. Major allergen is the profilin Ama r 2.

There are no reliable data on the sensitisation frequencies of herbal pollen. The most frequent sensitization is found against plan l1, the main allergen of ribwort . Prevalences of sensitization to species v 1 (main allergen of mugwort) were found in 4.4% of randomly selected adult individuals. Against Amb a 1 (main allergen of ragweed) at 0.7%. However, there are considerable geographical differences in the sensitization spectra.

1. Boehme MW et al (2013) Respiratory symptoms and sensitization to airborne pollen of ragweed and mugwort of adults in Southwest Germany. German Med Weekly 138:1651-1658.
2. Vaquero C et al (2013) Airborne pollen of allergenic herb species in Toledo (Spain). Environ Monit Assess 185:335-346.