No cure yet, but research brings promising news.
Legumes are the edible parts of certain plants. Typically seeds or pods, this food group includes peas, lentils, soybeans and peanuts. Some human immune systems see these foods as harmful and fight back by releasing chemicals. These chemicals cause allergic reactions such as itchy, watery eyes, runny noses and upset stomachs. Peanut allergies, the most common and severe allergy in this food group, can also cause anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction that affects the airway. There is no known cure for legume allergies; however, due to the prominence and severity of peanut allergies, doctors and scientists around the globe are searching for a cure. Some of these studies have produced promising results.
Significance
Peanut allergies cause close to 80 deaths in the United States each year, according to Duke University. Not only are more people allergic to peanuts than any other food, but tiny particles can cause severe, life-threatening reactions. In 2006, a food labeling law made it easier to determine which packaged foods contain peanuts, but people with allergies still have to be very careful about cross-contamination. Any food, dish or utensil that comes in contact with peanuts can cause an anaphylaxis episode. Because the possibility of accidental exposure is so high, doctors advise keeping epinephrine readily available for immediate treatment.
American Research
After participating in a 2009 study conducted by Duke University Medical Center and Arkansas Children's Hospital, a select group of children can eat peanuts every day, despite their allergies. According to physician Wesley Burks, chief of the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Duke, gradual exposure to peanuts has built up their tolerance. Children who couldn't tolerate a sixth of a peanut at the beginning of the study ingested 13 to 15 peanuts after six months of treatment. Through daily administration, nine of the 33 children have maintained this tolerance for more than two years. Four continue to eat peanuts after discontinuing treatment for more than a year. (
British Research
British researchers conducted a similar study in February 2009 at Addenbrooke Hospital in Cambridge. Using capsules that contained controlled amounts of peanut flour, they were able to increase the amount to 800 milligrams, or approximately five peanuts, within six months. Research leader Dr. Andy Clark says it's not a permanent cure, but as long as the daily treatment allows children to maintain this level of tolerance, the children should be able to handle peanut residue found in some processed foods without suffering any ill effects.
Chinese Research
The botanical drug known as Food Allergy Herbal Formula (FAHF-2) provided long-term protection against anaphylaxis in mice with peanut allergies. Physician Xiu-Min Li, associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Center for Chinese Herbal Therapy for Allergy and Asthma, conducted the study in 2009 at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. According to physician Hugh Sampson, professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai, FAHF-2 may be one of the first effective treatments for people with peanut and other food allergies.
Warning
Despite the promising research, Dr. Burks warns against trying gradual exposure to allergens at home. These studies are still pending and more research needs to be done. It takes years to determine the safety and long-term effects of treatments. He says avoidance is still the best policy.
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