Abstract:
The growing prevalence of allergy and asthma in India has
become a major health concern with symptoms ranging
from mild rhinitis to severe asthma and even life-threatening
anaphylaxis. The “allergen repertoire” of this subcontinent
is highly diverse due to the varied climate, flora, and food
habits. The proper identification, purification, and molecular
characterization of allergy-eliciting molecules are essential
in order to facilitate an accurate diagnosis and to design
immunotherapeutic vaccines. Although several reports on
prevalent allergens are available, most of these studies were
based on preliminary detection and identification of the al lergens. Only a few of these allergen molecules have been
characterized by recombinant technology and structural bi ology. The present review first describes the composition,
distribution pattern, and natural sources of the predominant
allergens in India along with the prevalence of sensitization
to these allergens across the country. We go on to present a
comprehensive report on the biochemical, immunological,
and molecular information on the allergens reported so far
from India. The review also covers the studies on allergy related biosafety assessment of transgenic plants. Finally,
we discuss the allergen-specific immunotherapy trials performed in India.
