title: The biochemistry of neutralization.
abstract: It has been shown that injections of low doses of common environmental antigens or irritants cause a reduced sensitivity during a subsequent exposure to the same antigen and irritant. On the basis of these findings, the following study was performed: 20 allergic patients who manifested allergic symptoms were observed during skin end-point titration testing, which is described in the manuscript. During the testing procedure, 60% of the patients reported a complete relief of symptoms. It is postulated that a cytoprotective dose was given during the testing procedure that caused the symptoms to be relieved. The second part of the study was a double-blind placebo control study in which 40 patients received the end-point dose and 10 patients received placebo. All patients entered the study with allergic symptoms. None of the placebo patients reported any relief of symptoms when given their injection. Of patients who received the active ingredient, 67.5% reported relief of symptoms within 5 to 10 minutes after the subcutaneous administration of the active ingredient. With these findings, it is postulated that this low dose of active ingredient caused the production of prostaglandin E intracellularly, which causes an increase in cyclic AMP and a decrease in cyclic GMP, which results in the resolution of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Louisana State University.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Trevino
mesh_terms: D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000276:immunology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000276:immunology; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D011458:Prostaglandins E; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP