Graminex - Products containing Flower Pollen Extract

Products Containing Flower Pollen Extract:

Pollen Aid
Prostanex
Graminex Flower
Pollen Extract

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Excerpts from Parke Davis USA publication "Pollen Extracts" for therapeutic uses

Pollen Extracts

History

Flower Pollen Extracts for therapeutic uses pre-date fraudulent claims of the development of Swedish Flower Pollen Extracts by AB Cernelle and AB Allergon.

Parke Davis USA, a division of Warner-Lambert developed the flower pollen extracts prior to 1920 for use as a pharmaceutical preparation for hay fever. Follows an excerpt from the Parke Davis publication "Pollen Extracts" published prior to 1920.

Excerpts from Parke Davis USA publication "Pollen Extracts" for therapeutic uses

As regards the symptom complex known as “hay-fever” there is no doubt in the minds of the majority of authorities at the present time that it emanates from the pollens of the flowers of various grasses, shrubs and trees. Elliotson, in the early part of this century, was the first to suggest the relation of the pollens of grasses to hay-fever, but it was left for Blackley and later Dunbar and his pupils to definitely prove in a scientific manner this relationship.

At present the pollen diseases are defined as a group of vasomotor disturbances, of seasonal periodicity, depending upon individual hypersensitiveness to the pollens of certain plants, and characterized by exudative catarrhal inflammation of the nasal, tracheo-bronchial, and conjunctival mucous membranes. In America two varieties of hay-fever are recognized- the spring variety, due to the Graminaceae, especially timothy grass, and the autumnal variety, due to the Compositae, especially the ragweeds.

Individual Susceptibility

During the season in which “hay-fever” or the associated pollen diseases occur, the members of a community inhale approximately the same amount of pollen. That only a small proportion of these exhibit hay-fever symptoms indicate that the pollen is not toxic to the normal individual, but becomes poisonous to the hay-fever sufferer because of some peculiarity of his respiratory mucosa. This susceptibility has been explained on an anaphylactic basis. Weichardt and Wolff-Eisner have advanced the hypothesis that pollen toxemia depends on parenteral digestion of the specific protein; and this hypothesis is now generally accepted. All of the higher forms of protein, including the pollen proteins, in the course of their digestion or decomposition yield a toxic body. When pollen is brought in contact with the normal nasal mucosa, it is broken down ultimately into harmless products (proteoses and amino-acids). At one stage of this protein cleavage toxic substances are set free, but under normal conditions the pollen molecule is split up so slowly that the toxic group is present in only slight concentration at any one time, and, since it diffuses very slowly, it is rendered inert before it can be absorbed in sufficient quantity to give rise to pathologic phenomena. In the susceptible individual the protein cleavage takes place with great rapidity, and as a result the mucous membrane is incapable of protecting the patient against the toxic products thus released. Such a condition is assumed to be due in the first place to a sensitizing absorption of the specific pollen protein, which in turn resulted from various factors interfering with the normal digestive function of the nasal mucosa, such as:

Anatomic abnormality (obstruction leading to an accumulation of inhaled pollen, and consequent absorption).

Inhalation of pollen in excess of the protective capacity of the exposed mucosa.

Temporary insufficiency of the nasal secretion, associated with a decreased volume of the proteolytic enzymes.

The changes induced by the first absorption of the pollen are so profound that the sensitization may last for a lifetime and even be transmitted to the following generation. When the same pollen protein is again brought in contact with the sensitized cells, the specific enzymes are elaborated in large amounts and rapidly attack the specific protein, releasing its toxic properties in such quantities as to overwhelm the natural defenses of the respiratory passages.

Active Immunization

The history of active immunization against “hay-fever” dates back to the work of Holbrook Curtis in 1900. In spite of the possibilities opened up by his work, active immunization received practically no attention for over ten years. In 1911 Noon and Freeman, working in Wright’s laboratory, carried out extensive experimental work with the use of vaccines representing pollen extract, controlling the clinical application by the ophthalmic test to determine the susceptibility of the individual patient. Their pollen extracts have been used extensively in England, with extremely favorable results. The work of Noon and Freeman has stimulated extensive laboratory and clinical study in connection with active immunization in pollen diseases, and during the past few years the following investigators have reported favorably upon the use of pollen extracts:

Ulrich, J. A. M. A., vol. lvii, 1914, p. 1220.

Goodale, Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., 1914, vol. clxxi, No.19, p. 695. Ibid., vol. clxxiii, No. 2, p. 42.

Koessler, Ill. Med. Jour., 1914, vol. xxvi, No. 2, p. 121.

Oppenheimer and Gottlieb, N. Y. Med. Jour., 1915, vol.101, No. 6, p. 229.

Lovell, Practitioner, 1914, vol. 92, p. 226.

Alexander, Liverpool Med. and Clin. Jour., 1914, vol. 34, p. 260.

Cooke, Laryngoscope, February, 1915, pp. 108-112.

Oppenheimer and Gottlieb, Bull. Med. and Chir. Faculty of Maryland, 1915, vol. 8, No. 1, p. 3. Med. Record, 1916, vol. 89, p. 508.

Freeman, Lancet, 1914, vol. 1, p. 1178.

Lowdermilk, J. A. M. A., 1914, vol. 58, No. 2, p. 141.

Manning, J. A. M. A., 1915, vol. 164, No. 8, p. 655.

Editorial, Brit. Med. Jour., May 29, 1915, p. 940.

Clowes, The Johns Hopkins Hosp. Bul., 1916, vol. xxvii, p. 87.

Sormani, Lancet, 1916, vol. 1, p. 349.

Howe, Long Island Med. Jour., 1916, vol. 10, p. 188.

All these investigators concluded that the careful use of pollen extracts in small doses is of distinct advantage in the treatment of the disease, and a large number of individuals have experienced complete relief from the symptoms.