Is it safe to prescribe products containing arachis (peanut) oil where peanut allergy is known or suspected?
Oils obtained from nuts can be said to be “crude” or “refined”. A report in 1998 from the Department of Health’s Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has advised that refined arachis oil does not contain allergenic peanut proteins. As Arachis Oil BP contains refined arachis oil it is unlikely to cause a reaction in those with peanut allergy. A further distinction needs to be made between those substances (in topical products) that are associated with skin sensitisation and those which cause systemic reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis), such as peanut proteins. The list of sensitising excipients in section 13.1.3 of the BNFC includes only those substances that are associated with skin sensitisation; arachis oil is not thought to sensitise the skin. However, the manufacturer should be contacted if it is essential to check details and the BNF or the product literature does not provide the necessary information. The report of the Department of Health’s
