Ambrosia World's strongest pollen allergen

Ambrosia: World's strongest pollen allergen.

(09.07.2010) In many media reports, ambrosia (pigeonweed) is warned in front of the plant. The pollen grains of the plant, which is actually from North America, should trigger massive symptoms such as a runny nose, shortness of breath, cough, asthma, swelling eyes, headaches and other hay fever symptoms into the winter from the end of July in allergy sufferers.

It is now being warned in individual cities, as in Berlin, of major construction sites that are redeploying large parts of the earth and thus spreading the plant, which looks similar to the weed that is considered to be weed and native to our country.

Meanwhile, there is an action program and in Berlin so-called since 2009 „Ambrosia scouts“, to detect and combat the ambrosia plants as potential sources of danger. They wear gloves and mouth protection and the plants should not in the „normal“ Organic waste, but extra with the household waste to be burned. As an additional measure, side edges and side strips of roads will be mowed more often.

The ragweed plants are said to be torn out together with the root before their flowering begins in late July. Because a single Ambrosiapflanze is able to secrete almost one billion allergenic pollen grains and which can spread over the wind partly up to 100 kilometers from their place of origin. The reason for the rapid production of ambrosia is also the climate warming and human interference in the natural vegetation.

The ragweed plant was believed to have been introduced to feed (e.g., birdseed) and seeds, or in the soil, by meanwhile global trade. Originally it comes from North America. It has already spread massively in Hungary, Italy and France. According to media reports, most plants in Germany are found in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Hesse and in Brandenburg's Lower Lusatia. Berlin, which is in sixth place, has even set up an Ambrosia Atlas where citizens can register ambrosia plants. An ambrosia belongs to the so-called daisy family and can grow up to two meters high. In natural medicine, it was used by the American Indians as a tea, ointment or raw for injuries, inflammation, fever, nausea and vomiting and pain. (Tf)

Image: Oliver Haja.