Urushiol
Urushiol What is Urushiol? Urushiol is a mixture of organic compounds which has properties of an irritant. The mixture is oily in nature and is found in the plants belonging to the family of Anacardiaceae . The exact composition of the mixture depending on the plant source. Some of the members of family Anacardiaceae are: Cashew, poison ivy and Asiatic lacquer tree etc. The name urushiol comes from the Japanese word for the lacquer tree – “Urushi” Urushiol structure: (Image source: Wikipedia) Where R can be an unsaturated alkyl chain whose length can be from 15 to 17 carbons. Example: (CH2)7CH=CHCH2CH=CHCH2CH=CH2 Where is urushiol present in plant? The location of urushiol in plant varies across species. In mango it is present on the skin of the fruit, in cashew it is found on the surface of the outer shell, but in case of Asiatic lacquer tree it is present in sap of the tree which is extracted by cutting 5-10 lines on the trunk. In poison ivy it can be found i...