title: Inhibition of human eosinophil chemotaxis in vitro by the anti-allergic agent emedastine difumarate.
abstract: Emedastine difumarate (emedastine), an anti-allergic agent with anti-histaminic properties, was studied for its effect on human eosinophil chemotaxis induced by platelet activating factor (PAF). Peripheral blood eosinophils (98% purity) were obtained from healthy donors and chemotaxis assay were performed in microchemotaxis chambers. Emedastine showed a significant inhibitory effect on 10(-6) M PAF-induced eosinophil chemotaxis, in dose dependent fashion, at concentrations from 10(-6) to 10(-8) M. Conversely, no inhibitory effect was observed on human neutrophil chemotaxis. Pretreatment of eosinophils with Pyrilamine did not affect PAF-induced eosinophil chemotaxis. Thus emedastine appears to possess a potent and selective inhibitory effect on eosinophils chemotaxis, an action which is probably unrelated to its anti-histamine properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Kumamoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: el-Shazly
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masuyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Samejima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000187:drug effects*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; C043345:emedastine