alnus rubra pollen

Alnus rubra pollen is a biological allergenic extract derived from the pollen of the red alder tree (*Alnus rubra*), a species native to the west coast of North America and a member of the Betulaceae (birch) family. This extract is utilized in clinical allergy practice for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Diagnostically, it is used in skin prick or intradermal testing to identify patients with immediate (Type I) hypersensitivity to red alder pollen. Therapeutically, it is employed in allergen immunotherapy (AIT), where patients are exposed to gradually increasing doses of the allergen to induce immunological tolerance. The extract contains various proteins that act as antigens; in sensitized individuals, these antigens cross-link specific IgE antibodies on the surface of mast cells and basophils, triggering the release of inflammatory mediators. Immunotherapy aims to shift the immune response from a Th2-dominated allergic profile toward a Th1 and regulatory T-cell (Treg) response, thereby reducing clinical symptoms of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma.

Other names

Red alder pollenAlnus rubra extractRed alder allergenic extract