Studies in healthy volunteers can demonstrate bronchodilator activity of orally administered drugs.
A panel of healthy volunteers was screened by bronchial histamine provocation. The response used was the flow rate achieved during a partial forced expiratory manoeuvre at a lung volume 30% of the vital capacity above the residual volume. Those subjects who were relatively sensitive to the bronchoconstrictor effects of inhaled histamine took part in a reproducibility study. Those with consistent responses took part in a further study in which the bronchodilator, and bronchoconstriction-protective, effects of orally administered chlorpheniramine, terfenadine and salbutamol were investigated. The technique was able to demonstrate the efficacy of these drugs in non-patient volunteers. Thus it seems to be a suitable method for the early evaluation, in man, of certain drugs with an anti-asthma therapeutic potential. It also provides useful information on the dose and duration of action of compounds prior to the first efficacy trials in patients.
Youlten
L J
LJ
Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research Division, Great Burgh, Epsom, Surrey, U.K.
Williams
A J
AJ
Ross
J W
JW
Richards
D H
DH
D000284:Administration, Oral; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D006632:Histamine