IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES OF POISONOUS ANACARDIACEAE - ORAL DESENSITIZATION TO POISON IVY AND OAK URUSHIOLS IN GUINEA-PIGS

[摘要] Poison ivy and oak urushiols or their components were compared with the respective esterified derivatives for efficacy in oral desensitization of Hartley guinea pigs sensitized to urushiols. The esterified derivatives produced a significantly greater degree of hyposensitization than did free urushiol counterparts. Suppression produced by esterified urushiols was of longer duration than that produced by free urushiols. Groups of sensitized guinea pigs were given high (100 mg/kg) or low (10 mg/kg) doses of a mixture of acetylated, saturated urushiol congeners over a 1-, 2- or 3-wk period. High doses produced a greater degree of hyposensitization regardless of the dosage schedule used. Low doses did not produce significant hyposensitization unless given over a shorter (1 wk) schedule. Large single booster doses (33 mg/kg per wk) of the acetate derivatives produced a rebound in responsiveness when given, 2 wk following the last dose of the initial series, to animals hyposensitized with 10 mg/kg. No such rebound in sensitivity occurred in animals given a series of high initial doses. The dosage and schedule were also important considerations for achieving maximal hyposensitization. Sensitized guinea pigs can be desensitized or hyposensitized to poison ivy and oak urushiols via the oral route.