anaphylactic etymology

Etymology:

  • Ana: Greek prefix meaning "up" or "against"
  • Phylaxis: Greek word meaning "protection" or "defense"

Meaning:

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs when the body releases a large amount of chemicals, such as histamine, into the bloodstream in response to an allergen. These chemicals cause the blood vessels to dilate, the airways to narrow, and the muscles in the intestines to contract, leading to symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling, nausea, and vomiting.

Origin:

The term "anaphylaxis" was first coined in 1902 by the French physiologists Charles Richet and Paul Portier. They observed that dogs that had been injected with a small dose of a toxin later developed a severe reaction to a second injection of the same toxin. They named this phenomenon "anaphylaxis," meaning "against protection," as it seemed to indicate that the initial injection had somehow made the dogs more sensitive to the toxin rather than protecting them against it.

In later years, it was discovered that anaphylaxis is caused by the release of antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) in response to an allergen. These antibodies bind to cells in the body, causing them to release histamine and other chemical mediators that trigger the symptoms of anaphylaxis.

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