€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ANNALS OF ALLERGY, ASTHMA, AND IMMUNOLOGY***** Benito M Jorro G Morales C Pelaez A Fernandez A Labiatae allergy: systemic reactions due to ingestion of oregano and thyme. In: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol (1996 May) 76(5):416-8 ISSN: 1081-1206 BACKGROUND: There are no cases described in the medical literature of systemic allergic reactions due to oregano (Origanum vulgare) or thyme (Thymus vulgaris). These herbs belong to the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family which comprises other plants such as hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), basil (Ocimum basilicum), marjoram (Origanum majorana), mint (Mentha piperita), sage (Salvia officinalis) and lavender (Lavandula officinalis). OBJECTIVE: We describe three systemic allergic reactions caused by oregano and thyme in the same patient. METHODS: Skin tests with inhalant allergens and plants of the Labiatae family were done. We used the prick by prick technique with dried commercial plants and prick tests with extracts prepared with the Frugoni method in our patient and in ten control patients. Total serum IgE was determined by Phadezym IgE PRIST (Pharmacia). Specific IgE was measured by two methods: CAP system (Pharmacia) and Phadezym RAST (Pharmacia Diagnostics, Uppsala, Sweden) with activated discs of the allergenic extracts that were prepared in our laboratory. RESULTS: Skin tests with inhalants were positive to grasses. Skin tests with plants of the Labiatae family were positive in all cases when the skin prick technique was used; tests were negative with basil and lavender, and positive with all the others when we used the prick by prick technique. We did not detect any positive skin tests nor specific IgE to plants of the Labiatae family in control patients. Total serum IgE was 406 U/mL. Specific IgE was detected to all herbs tested; higher levels were obtained with the CAP system. CONCLUSIONS: Plants belonging to the Labiatae family seem to show cross-sensitivity on the basis of clinical history and in vitro and in vivo test results. Registry Numbers: 37341-29-0 (IgE) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH***** Kreis W Kaplan MH Freeman J Sun DK Sarin PS Inhibition of HIV replication by Hyssop officinalis extracts. In: Antiviral Res (1990 Dec) 14(6):323-37 ISSN: 0166-3542 Crude extracts of dried leaves of Hyssop officinalis showed strong anti-HIV activity as measured by inhibition of syncytia formation, HIV reverse transcriptase (RT), and p17 and p24 antigen expression, but were non-toxic to the uninfected Molt-3 cells. Ether extracts from direct extraction (Procedure I), after removal of tannins (Procedure II), or from the residue after dialysis of the crude extract (Procedure III), showed good antiviral activity. Methanol extracts, subsequent to ether, chloroform and chloroform ethanol extractions, derived from procedure I or II, but not III, also showed very strong anti-HIV activity. In addition, the residual material after methanol extractions still showed strong activity. Caffeic acid was identified in the ether extract of procedure I by HPLC and UV spectroscopy. Commercial caffeic acid showed good antiviral activity in the RT assay and high to moderate activity in the syncytia assay and the p17 and p24 antigen expression. Tannic acid and gallic acid, common to other teas, could not be identified in our extracts. When commercial products of these two acids were tested in our assay systems, they showed high to moderate activity against HIV-1. Hyssop officinalis extracts contain caffeic acid, unidentified tannins, and possibly a third class of unidentified higher molecular weight compounds that exhibit strong anti-HIV activity, and may be useful in the treatment of patients with AIDS. Registry Numbers: EC 2.7.7.49 (RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase) 331-39-5 (caffeic acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS***** Gollapudi S Sharma HA Aggarwal S Byers LD Ensley HE Gupta S Isolation of a previously unidentified polysaccharide (MAR-10) from Hyssop officinalis that exhibits strong activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1. In: Biochem Biophys Res Commun (1995 May 5) 210(1):145-51 ISSN: 0006-291X A polysaccharide (MAR-10) was isolated from the aqueous extract of the plant Hyssop officinalis and examined for its activity against HIV-1 (SF strain) in HUT78 T cell line and primary cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. MAR-10, in a concentration- dependent manner, inhibited HIV-1 replication as demonstrated by the inhibition of HIV-1 p24 antigen and syncytia formation. Furthermore, MAR-10 had no significant direct toxicity or effect on lymphocyte functions or CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts. In addition, MAR-10 has broad spectrum anti-glycosidase activity. Our study demonstrates that MAR-10 contains strong anti-HIV-1 activity that may be useful in the treatment of patients with HIV-1 infection. Registry Numbers: EC 3.2.1. (Glycoside Hydrolases) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NATURFORSCHUNG. SECTION C. JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES***** Kaufmann M Wink M Molecular systematics of the nepetoideae (family Labiatae): phylogenetic implications from rbcL gene sequences. In: Z Naturforsch [C] (1994 Sep-Oct) 49(9-10):635-45 ISSN: 0341-0382 Total DNA was extracted from 41 species (20 genera) of the subfamily Nepetoideae (family Labiatae). Using rbcL-specific primers, the rbcL gene wsa amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced directly. RbcL sequences were evaluated with character state (maximum parsimony; PAUP) and distance methods (neighbour-joining; MEGA). In agreement with classical systematics all taxa studied cluster within the Nepetoideae and are clearly distinguished from members of the subfamily Lamioideae. A number of distinctive clades are apparent within the Nepetoideae: I-Collinsonia, II-Lavandula, III-Agastache, Glechoma, IV-Satureja, Hyssopus, Dracocephalum, V-Nepeta, VI-Hormium, VII-Prunella, VIII-Melissa, Ocimum, IX-Monarda, Mentha, X-Origanum, Thymus, XI-Salvia, XII-Rosmarinus, and XIII-Perovskia. At least five main branches representing the clades I, II, III to VII, VIII, and IX to XIII respectively, can be distinguished within the Nepetoideae studied. They might be considered representing the tribes (according to Cantino, 1992) Elsholtzieae (I). Lavanduleae (II), and Mentheae (III-XIII). The tribe Mentheae needs to be subdivided into at least three main groups (clades III-VII, VIII and IX-XIII). Majorana hortensis which is often classified as Origanum hortensis does not cluster with Origanum and deserves a genetic status of its own. Registry Numbers: EC 4.1.1.39 (Ribulosebiphosphate Carboxylase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€