This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.Echinacea is one of the most commonly used dietary supplements in the United States. Significant allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been documented in users of Echinacea and, in most cases, reactions have occurred upon first known use of Echinacea. It is hypothesized that allergic reactions to Echinacea occur as a result of underlying allergy to ragweed, as both plants are members of the Asteraceae botanical family, and thus have the potential to possess immunological and clinical cross-reactivity. The long-term objective of this proposal is to understand the risk for allergic reactions to Echinacea in individuals with ragweed allergy. This pilot study will evaluate the skin test reactivity to a newly prepared Echinacea extract of known origin in subjects with and without a history of ragweed allergy and determine the optimal concentration of the extract for use in prick and intradermal skin testing. In order to test the hypothesis that ragweed allergic subjects are more likely to display IgE reactivity on allergy skin testing to Echinacea than non-ragweed allergic subjects, 20 adults with and without a history of ragweed allergy will be recruited.
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