Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Whenever somebody talks about allergies in Islamabad it’s usually about the Pollen allergy in spring to pollens of an imported tree from Far East in sixties because quick dense growth, without realization of long term effects of such a step.

Mulberry pollen causes havoc in those allergies from minor sneezing to life threatening anaphylactic reactions in the spring when the counts of this pollen have been recorded to be as high as 55000 per cubic meter. Dr Rana Head of the Department of Allergy and Immunology at Shifa International Hospitals told Daily Times Islamabad is the allergy capital of the world.

It’s a variety of mulberry, to be specific a paperless mulberry (broussnetia papyfera ) of moracae family which is used in making cloth, paper, medicinal and ornamental purposes. It is interesting to note that there are at ninety nine varieties of mulberry tree some native to Pakistan and there is cross reactivity between tree pollen allergens of many mulberry trees.

Dr Rana further said that allergies are the most common disorders of mankind today, there are thousands of different allergic diseases and millions of allergens that can incite adverse reactions in human body affecting just about any organ or system in the body, consequently allergies are not just the pollen allergy to a specific pollen

Of paper mulberry which unfortunately does effect almost sixty percent of the population in Islamabad and its vicinity its vicinity and is spreading further into northern and southern areas of Pakistan, half hearted efforts of eradicating this menace continues to cause tremendous problems for those who are allergic , sparing no gender or age.

But Allergies are all year around problems for most patients itching of ears ,nose throat ,chest and skin watery eyes red eyes matting of eyes swelling and burning , runny nose stuffy nose blocked nasal passages headaches ,sores in mouth redness of throat itching of the roof of the mouth tickling and irritation of throat , coughing congestion phlegm production difficulty in breathing shortness of breath and wheezing itching of skin with red rashes and swelling of lips and tongue with hoarseness of voice to complete loss of voice , nausea abdominal pain, general body aches and pains. Children have recurrent abdominal pains and nausea called RAP.

Food allergies although very common go mostly undiagnosed. Going back to the vast nature of allergic problems we now have and had it for many years a rise in the fall allergies which are caused by weeds, with special mention of Bhang (cannabis)that grows wild in our vicinity, along with Ragweed and newest and most dangerous of them all is carrot grass (Gajjar Booti), also called

This weed has been around for centuries , originally belongs to Mexico , showed up Pakistan specially in Punjab in the later part of last century and has spread extensively , it one of the ten most dangerous weeds know to man. I has now become a major extremely toxic and invasive weed dangerous to moth humans and animals alike.

This weed has been used extensively in treating wide range of diseases, like eczema,

Inflammation, rheumatic pain, cold, gynaecological ailments, as analgesic, muscular pains, neuralgia and many other illnesses including anti-cancer, anti-tumour such properties are well documented and under research in many parts of the world. But for allergic patients to this weed, it can cause eczema bronchitis asthma rhinitis burning itching blisters severe papillary eruptions and a very severe contact dermatitis. Patient allergic to this weed can develop such problems from walking through fields or touching them.

This weed causes serious illness in animals also specially grazing animals, if eaten by cows in small quantities it cause the milk to have funny taste. And can result in death of eaten in large quantities.

Dr further said, “We should take immediate measures to eradicate this noxious aggressive poisonous and a dangerous weed from our areas.

In the fall those who are allergic to this weed, suffer equally adversely as patients who have mulberry pollen allergy in the spring, sometime with more severe illnesses”.