Urushiol Compounds Detected in Toxicodendron-Labeled Consumer Products Using Mass Spectrometry

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Dermatitis
• Personal Author:
  Zhang, Amy J. ; Aschenbeck, Kelly A. ; Law, Brandon F. ; B’Hymer, Clayton ; Siegel, Paul D. ; Hylwa, Sara A.
• Description:
  Background:
  
  Urushiol, the culprit allergen in Toxicodendron plants such as poison ivy, is an oily mixture of 15 and 17 carbon side chain alk-(en)-yl catechols. Recently, consumer products have been identified that contain Toxicodendron as an ingredient on their label; however, no studies have assessed whether urushiol is indeed present within these products.
  
  Objective:
  
  The aim of the study was to determine whether urushiol compounds are present in consumer products labeled as containing Toxicodendron species.
  
  Methods:
  
  Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were performed on 9 consumer products labeled as containing Toxicodendron species, including topical homeopathic remedies. Single ion monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was programmed in selective ion mode to detect 3-methylcatechol characteristic fragment ions of alk-(en)-yl catechols after silanization. Similarly, single ion monitoring liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was programmed to detect 4 urushiol pentadecylcatechols and 5 urushiol heptadecylcatechols using previously reported mass-to-charge ratios.
  
  Results:
  
  Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detected alk-(en)-yl catechols in 67% (6/9) of the products tested. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detected multiple urushiol pentadecylcatechols and heptadecylcatechols in 44% (4/9) of the products tested.
  
  Conclusions:
  
  Alk-(en)-yl catechols and multiple urushiols were detected in consumer products listing Toxicodendron species as an ingredient. Clinicians should be aware of these known allergenic ingredients in consumer products.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Article
• Source:
  Dermatitis. 31(2):134-139
• Pubmed ID:
  32168145
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC7294241
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  31
• Issue:
  2
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:1a29d17f3c9100ba4f750546a2bb4ca6ae6795886fbcc1d4404d56bc8fbc3474
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/89382/cdc_89382_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 313.80 KB ]