Condiments and Contact Dermatitis of the Finger - Tips.

Patch tests were undertaken with 16 condiments in 4 groups of patients which included exposed patients, exposed controls, unexposed patients and unexposed controls. As the interpretation of the positive patch test reaction was similar in both the unexposed patients and unexposed controls, these two were combined into one (unexposed groups). Positive reactions were obtained in a variable number of individuals in each of these groups but the tests were generally more frequently positive and more severe in the exposed patients and exposed controls, compared to the unexposed groups. The number of patients showing positive patch tests out of the total number tested in the 3 groups respectively, with each of the agents were, cinnamon 1 (9), 0 (11), 1 (7): coriander 3 (8), 4 (12), 1 (5); clove 2 (8), 3 (16), 0 (1); cumin seeds 3 (8), 4 (11), 1 (6); fennel 3 (9), 4 (16), 0 (1); small cardamom 1 (8),6 (17), 0 (0); large cardamom 3 (8) 3 (11), 0 (7); asafoetida 1 (5), 3 (7), 5 (13); Indian cassia 0 (2), 3 (16), 1 (8); mustard seeds 5 (8), 4 (15) 0 (2); red chillies 2 (7), 6 (21), 0 (0); turmeric 3 (6), 8 (15) 1 (5); tamarind 0 (3), 0 (6), 3 (16); dried mango powder 0 (2), 3 (6), 1 (17); Jaggery 0 (1), 2 (4), 2 (20) and ginger 7 (22), 0 (4), 0 (0). These were considered unikely to be irritant reactions, because in the case of irritant reactions, the frequency of positive reaction is expected to be much more. However, this could not be excluded completely without further studies with standardized antigens and their dilutions.