Contact allergy to woods

Abstract

Among the various natural resources, wood plays an important role for construction, furniture, boat-building, plywood, veneer, and other purposes. It also is absolutely necessary for the production of pulp and paper. In addition, half of the world demands wood for use as fuel. The principal areas from which the major timbers come are tropical and subtropical regions such as South Asia, West and Central Africa, and South America (Amazon basin). Wood for pulp and paper production is provided from the temperate zone and from the tropics of Brazil and Malaysia. Inhalation of wood particles, especially fine wood dust, as well as direct contact with solid wood, may cause a series of different changes in the human organism among which severe poisoning and wood dermatitis are the most striking. Another occupational hazard is adenocarcinoma of the nose and nasal cavities in workers heavily exposed for decades to fine wood dust.1 This currently is the subject of much discussion in Europe. Carpenters, cabinet makers, joiners, and others who saw, sand, turn, and plane wood are at high risk to develop allergic contact dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and, sometimes, extrinsic allergic aveolitis. Irritant dermatitis may arise from the sap or latex of species belonging to the plant families Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Moraceae. Among these, some timbers contain compounds with blistering properties due to histamine-liberating alkaloids like cryptopleurine in poison walnut and chloroxylonine in East Indian satinwood. Others contain strong sensitizers, such as (R)-3,4-dimethoxy-dalbergione in Machaerium scleroxylum Tul., which may elicit irritant reactions when applied to the skin in high concentrations. Contact urticaria is produced by species such as obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum.),2 limba (Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels),3 ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Baill.),3,4 teak (Tectona grandis L.),5 and larch (Larix decidua Mill.),4,6 but rarely is seen. Certain wood species of the families Rutaceae and Flindersiaceae are known for their phototoxic properties,7 but most of them are not of great commercial value. © 1986.