Scientists Find New Way to Stop Poison Ivy’s Itch

The persistent and annoying itch from a poison ivy rash may soon be extinct, thanks to findings in a recent study.

The journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports on a new method that worked well in mice that were exposed to poison ivy. It works by blocking an immune system protein in the skin with an antibody, which halts the process of when the brain tells the skin that it is itchy.

This approach could lead to new treatments for 80 percent of the population with allergies to poison ivy. But the method is not yet foolproof, and it would still need to be tested in humans.

The rash associated with poison ivy is caused by the oil sap urushiol, which is found in poison sumac and poison oak.

“Poison ivy rash is the most common allergic reaction in the U.S.,” said study senior author Sven-Eric Jordt,  an associate professor of anesthesiology at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. “And studies have shown that higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are creating a proliferation of poison ivy throughout the U.S. — even in places where it wasn’t growing before.”

More than 10 million people in the U.S. suffer each year with non-life threatening skin rashes after coming into contact with poisonous plants. These skin conditions, like poison ivy, are easily relieved and treated with antihistamines and steroids. But these rashes can also be painful, and Jordt believes that treating them on regular basis could even help lead to a spike in healthcare costs.

“When you consider doctor visits, the costs of the drugs that are prescribed and the lost time at work or at school, the societal costs are quite large,” Jordt was quoted in a Duke News release.

Ronke Idowu Reeves

Ronke Idowu Reeves is a writer and journalist who hails from Brooklyn, NY. Her news and entertainment stories have appeared on WABC-TV-New York, Fox News Channel, VH1, BET.com plus in Sundance Film Festival’s Sundance Daily Insider and People Magazine.

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