ALLERGY TO FRAGRANCES, OILS, RESINS AND TERPENES: IN THE NATURAL STATE
Fragrances, oils, resins and terpenes that occur naturally in plants and trees cause problems in two ways – firstly when touched, inhaled or eaten in their natural state, and secondly when, once extracted, they are used as material or ingredients in manufactured products.
In the Natural State
You can be affected by inhaling the volatile vapours from the plants, or by physical contact with their material, if you handle plant material extensively as part of your work (e.g. vegetable picking, flower picking or florist, food preparation), or if you have contact with plants in gardening.
Plants are usually most troublesome when they are growing vigorously. Some only give trouble if they are crushed and broken; others need not be injured. Plants with furry leaves or stems are often more problematic than others, for the chemicals are held in, and more readily given off from, the short spines. Bulbs (such as tulip or narcissi) are also known to cause reactions.
Some plants are known to be particularly troublesome, especially when handled extensively, and in cases of dermatitis. These include the following:
• primula family
• lily family (e.g. tulip, hyacinth, garlic, onion, chives)
• daffodils and narcissi
• umbellifer family (e.g. carrots, celery, yarrow)
• nettles and hops
• orange, lemon, grapefruit, dittany
• compositae family (e.g. chrysanthemum, daisy)
• ivy
• philodendron
• oleander
In some plants that frequently cause reactions, chemicals common to the plants have been identified as the specific cause. These plants are:
• artichokes • mugwort
• burdock • pyrethrum
• camomile • feverfew
• wormwood
If you know you react to one of these, you should take care with others in the group.
Some people are sensitive to the fragrance of growing plants, such as roses, or to that of cut flowers.
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