Structure determination of the allergenic agent, isolated from tulip bulbs

Abstract

Abstract Handling of tulip bulbs taking place in bulb nurseries often causes a typical allergic reaction of the skin (“tulip fingers”). It is the purpose of this paper to report the results of an investigation into the structure of the chemical compound, possessing the allergic properties. The principle is a yellow, hygroscopic, non‐crystalline substance, which can be obtained by extraction of the tulip bulb ( tulipa gesneriana ) with 70% ethanol or 70% acetone and resolving the crude extract by paper chromatography. Paper chromatography (paper Whatman no. 1) gives a Rf‐value of 0.63 in ethyl acetate: pyridine: water = 2: 1: 2. The allergenic principle is soluble in ethanol and water, but not in cyclohexane, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, diethyl ether and ethyl acetate. Since it could not be obtained in crystalline form, X‐ray analysis could not be used and for this reason other chemical and physical methods had to be used.