One hundred years of allergic contact dermatitis due to oxidized terpenes: What we can learn from old research on turpentine allergy.

Although in recent years the focus on sensitizing terpene oxidation products has been on oxidized limonene and linalool, the autoxidation of terpenes in relation to allergic contact dermatitis is not new and dates back to the early part of the 20th century with the use of turpentine causing occupational contact dermatitis in painters. This review is written in a way as to allow us to get closer to the work of the scientists in earlier days, to participate in the successes, and also to observe the weak points. The researchers concluded that the main culprit in Scandinavian turpentine was Δ3 -carene hydroperoxides. This explains its high sensitizing effect compared with French turpentine which is of the Iberian type with no or only traces of Δ3 -carene. Historical exposure to turpentine showed that ending the industrial exposure stopped the occupational skin sensitization. Patch test studies demonstrated that monoterpene hydroperoxides, far from being an obsolete source of contact allergy solely related to turpentine, is a common cause of contact allergy in the population. A hundred years of extensive chemical and clinical studies worldwide should be sufficient to meet the evidence requirement regarding allergic contact dermatitis caused by terpenes.

Cleopatra: from turpentine and juniper to ionone and irone.

Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC), the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt, is probably best known for her love affairs with Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) and Marcus Antonius (83-30 BC). Rightly or wrongly she became the epitome of shrewd seduction, leading brave Roman commanders on a path to debauchery and destruction. Among the seductive strategies attributed to her is the ingestion of small amounts of turpentine [the resin of the terebinth tree (Pistacia terebinthus)] or of derived oil (Oleum terebinthinae) with the purpose of conferring to her urine a more pleasant scent reminding of violets. Turpentine components are metabolized among other compounds to ionones and irones, which - renally excreted - are responsible for the flowery scent. Having obviously worked with great generals, the strategy is said to have been embraced for everyday use by many affluent Roman women. Complicating the issue somewhat is the fact that juniper berries (Fructus juniperi) and derived oil (Oleum juniperi) containing many of the same terpenoids as turpentine have a similar effect on urine. The purpose of this contribution is to briefly review the pharmacology of turpentine and juniper derived compounds assumed to be responsible for altering the scent of urine and to examine the origin and veracity of the mentioned habit. While the effect of ingested turpentine on the scent of urine is well documented our attempts at identifying Greek or Latin authors mentioning its intentional use for this explicit purpose (by Cleopatra or anybody else) failed.

[Turpentined vapour baths with coniferous oil]. / Des bains de vapeurs térébenthinés aux pastilles de Pin mugho.

This article presents the history of turpentined vapour baths used to treat rheumatismes. In the same time appeared patent medicines made with coniferous oil, sold by chemist near those baths establishments.