Hypersensitivity

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses both trivial hypersensitivity reactions such as itchiness and urticaria as well as fatal reactions such as peanut allergy and bronchial asthma. The paper looks at the current mainstream therapy for severe anaphylactic reactions that involves intramuscular epinephrine and adjuvant therapies including antihistamines, corticosteroids and inhalant bronchodilators. The paper then reveals that the efficacy of these medicines is limited by adverse side effects that could potentially arise from chronic use. The paper asserts that there is a need to entertain the potential benefits of Chinese traditional medicine.

From the Paper:

"Most human beings eat foodstuffs or are exposed to environmental factors and do not experience any problem. Others, however, can eat some of these foods and have a multitude of allergic reactions. Others can be exposed to only minute amounts of these ingredients, but these minute exposures can be fatal. This may be attributed to the fact that some people are hypersensitive to these stimuli. Hypersensitivity reactions are objectively reproducible symptoms or signs that manifest when a person is exposed to a stimulus at a dose tolerated by normal persons (Brown, 2006). Humans are constantly exposed to these stimuli that have the capacity to produce an immunologic response. Hypersensitivity reactions are in fact caused by several immunologic reactions that may be triggered by exogenous antigens such as pollen, dust, food, drugs, and chemicals (Kumar, Abbas and Fausto, 2005). These stimuli are called allergens."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adkinson, N. F., Yuyinger, J. W., Busse, W. W., Bochner, B. S., Holgate, S. T., and Simons, F. E. R. (2003). Middleton's allergy: principles and practice, 6th ed. PA: Mosby Inc.
• Brown, S. G. (2006). "Anaphylaxis: clinical concept and research priorities." Emergency Medicine Australasia, 18: 155-169.
• Day, J. H., Ellis, A. K., Rafeiro, E., Ratz, J. d., and Briscoe, M. P. (2007). "Experimental models for the evaluation of treatment of allergic rhinitis." Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 96: 263-278.
• Dorland, W. A. N. (2007). Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary. 29th ed. PA: Elsevier.
• Ellis, A. K., and Day, J. H. (2003). "Diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis." Canadian Medical Association Journal, 169(4): 307-312.

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