Lp. Christensen et al., Airborne Compositae dermatitis: monoterpenes and no parthenolide are released from flowering Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew) plants, ARCH DERM R, 291(7-8), 1999, pp. 425-431
The air around intact feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) plants was examined f
or the presence of airborne parthenolide and other potential allergens usin
g a high-volume air sampler and a dynamic headspace technique. No particle-
bound parthenolide was detected in the former. Among volatiles emitted from
the aerial parts of feverfew plants and collected by the dynamic headspace
technique a total of 41 compounds, mainly monoterpenes, were identified an
d quantified by GC and GC-MS, alpha-Pinene, camphene, limonene, gamma-terpi
nene, (E)-beta-ocimene, linalool, p-cymene, (E)-chrysanthenol, camphor and
(E)-chrysanthenyl acetate were the predominant monoterpenes accounting for
nearly 88% of the total volatiles emitted, The average total yield of volat
iles emitted over 24 h was 18,160 ng/g fresh weight of leaves and flowers,
corresponding to the emission of approximately 8 mg volatiles per day from
one fullgrown feverfew plant, No parthenolide or other sesquiterpene lacton
es were detected. The present investigation does not support the theory of
airborne sesquiterpene lactone-containing plant parts or of direct release
of sesquiterpene lactones from living plants as the only explanations for a
irborne Compositae dermatitis. Potential allergens were found among the emi
tted monoterpenes and their importance in airborne Compositae dermatitis is
discussed.