title: Levocabastine. Evaluation in the histamine and compound 48/80 models of ocular allergy in humans.
abstract: The efficacy of a new antihistamine, levocabastine, in alleviating the ocular allergic reactions induced by both histamine and 48/80 was evaluated in humans. Levocabastine (0.5%) was instilled in one eye of 30 volunteers, and vehicle in the contralateral eye. After 15 minutes, half of the subjects received histamine (25 mg/ml) and half, 48/80 (7.5 mg/ml). The signs and symptoms of allergy were graded clinically after 30 minutes. Compared with a buffer control, levocabastine significantly alleviated itching (P = 0.01), redness (P = 0.0156), and chemosis (P = 0.005) induced by histamine, and itching (P = 0.032) and redness (P = 0.029) induced by 48/80. The results from these pharmacologic models support the clinical use of levocabastine for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Eye Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Abelson
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006632:Histamine; D006801:Humans; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine; D006632:Histamine; C047340:levocabastine