TITLE:
Anaphylactic Shock Due to Psyllium (Plantago ovate Seed) Allergy: A Case Report
AUTHORS:
Paula Ollo Morales, Marta Velasco Azagra, Carlota Martel Martin, Marta Gutiérrez Niso, Nagore Bernedo Belar, Maria Teresa Audicana Berasategui
KEYWORDS:
Plantago ovate, Psyllium, Ispaghula, Anaphylaxis, Occupational Allergy
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
11,
2022
ABSTRACT: The seeds of Plantago ovata, called psyllium or ispaghula, have been used in
the preparation of bulk laxatives. Nowadays, it is also used as an ingredient
in bakery and breakfast cereals to increase dietary fiber and to give baking
products fluffiness and viscosity. Mostly, there are described cases of
occupational allergy that handle Plantago ovata seeds in powder laxatives and some cases of
anaphylaxis after eating products containing psyllium. This case report is about a geriatric assistant who had an
anaphylactic shock after eating a multigrain gluten-free piece of bread
containing psyllium, who presented a positive skin test with psyllium in the
allergy study. We recommended to the patient to avoid the ingestion and the
inhalation at work of Plantago ovata seeds and to carry self-injectable adrenaline. With this case, we would like to
highlight the growing uses of psyllium, especially in bakery products, and that
it can behave like a hidden allergen.