title: A comparison of the effects of an alpha-agonist, an anti-muscarinic agent and placebo on intranasal histamine challenge in allergic rhinitis.
abstract: Autonomic receptors play a part in the physiology and pathology of the nasal mucosa. The effect of an alpha-agonist and an anti-muscarinic agent on histamine-challenge was examined on patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. Nine patients received saline, oxitropium bromide 0.075%, or xylometazoline hydrochloride 0.1% in a double-blind fashion. Sequential challenge with increasing doses of histamine were given and resistance changes, sneezes and volume and content of secretion measured. Histamine challenge produced dose-related increases in nasal resistance (P < 0.0001), lavage fluid volume (P < 0.01) and total protein (P < 0.01). Following xylometazoline, histamine produced little increase in resistance compared with saline and oxitropium bromide (P < 0.0001). The latter reduced the dose-related increase in resistance (P < 0.01) and nasal lavage fluid volume (P = 0.0007) and total protein (P = 0.023) seen with saline. These results confirm the importance of alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors in the human nasal mucosa and suggest mechanisms of action for these drugs in perennial allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birchall
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Pride
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Fuller
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D018494:Histamine Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D018494:Histamine Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C017590:oxitropium; C009695:xylometazoline