Chapter 12
Allergenicity toCannabis sativa L.
and Methods to Assess Personal Exposure
Ajay P. Nayak, Brett J. Green, Gordon Sussman
and Donald H. Beezhold
Abstract Cannabis sativa, commonly referred to as marijuana, is popularly rec-
ognized as a medicinal and recreational drug. Although the legal status of the plant
and its derivatives has been debated in numerous social and legal forums, very little
is known about the immunological effects following personal and more recently,
occupational exposure. Current studies have shown that direct handling and con-
sumption ofC. sativaand its derivatives can elicit allergic reactions and in very rare
cases, life-threatening anaphylaxis. Initially,D^9 -THC and cannabinol were sug-
gested to be the potential allergic sensitizers; however, recent reports have
demonstrated that allergic reactions toC. sativamay be driven by type I hyper-
sensitivity mechanisms. In this chapter, we will examine the scenarios and routes of
exposure toC. sativathat may result in allergic sensitization and provide insights
into the key allergic determinants. Finally, the methodological challenges associ-
ated with studying the plant and the biotechnological advances in exposure
assessment will be additionally discussed.
12.1 Introduction
Cannabis sativa(hemp) is an annual herbaceous plant that belongs to the order,
Rosalesand is placed within the Cannabaceae family. Other common genera found
in this family includeCeltis(hackberry) andHumulus(hop).C. sativais widely
A.P. Nayak (&)B.J. GreenD.H. Beezhold
Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
e-mail: [email protected]
G. Sussman
Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine,
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
A.P. Nayak
Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Jefferson Alumni Hall, Suite 543,
Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
©Springer International Publishing AG 2017
S. Chandra et al. (eds.), Cannabis sativaL. - Botany and Biotechnology,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-54564-6_12
263