Identification of allergens in Acorus gramineus using protein analysis

Background: Food allergy reactions have been increasing over the past 5 years. In addition, we are always exposed to the risk of allergies because the herbal medicines we mainly use are used in these foods. Objectives: Therefore, we added Acorus gramineus (AG) extract to sera from 253 people to confirm that herbal medicines cause allergic reactions, and check which protein is allergic to AG. The Allergy-Q test was performed to observe the immunoglobulin E (IgE) response. Based on the high and low IgE intensities, the samples were divided into positive and negative sera. The same band was observed in each serum sample through western blotting. The protein obtained from the AG extract was separated by SDS-PAGE and identified using LC/MS. Results: There were a total of three types of proteins, and we determined whether various food triggered an allergic reaction through allergy-related studies of each protein; it was possible to find out whether this food cause an allergy. Conclusion: This research made it possible to study allergen-causing proteins in herbal medicines. In addition, it can be used for various purposes, such as knowing and treating side effects and allergic reactions when prescribing various herbal medicines.