Contact allergic sensitivity to chrysanthemum and the photosensitivity dermatitis and actinic reticuloid syndrome.

Of sixty-nine examples of the photosensitivity dermatitis and actinic reticuloid syndrome, nine were found to be allergically sensitive to chrysanthemum oleoresin extract. Although this extract showed evidence in vitro of a phototoxic action we were unable with in vivo studies to explain the connection between the contact allergic sensitivity and the photosensitivity. The fractions responsible for the in vitro phototoxicity appear to be different from those involved in the in vivo contact allergic sensitivity. This study provides further support for the view that in the photosensitivity dermatitis and actinic reticuloid syndrome contact allergic sensitivity is of importance.