title: Petasol butenoate complex (Ze 339) relieves allergic rhinitis-induced nasal obstruction more effectively than desloratadine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis symptoms of itching, sneezing, rhinorrhea, and nasal obstruction significantly decrease patients' quality of life. Compared with histamine and leukotriene receptor antagonists, the petasol butenoate complex Ze 339 displays pharmacologically distinct properties. In vitro it inhibits the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and mediator release from activated eosinophils.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the efficacy and mode of action of Ze 339, desloratadine, and placebo on allergic rhinitis symptoms, nasal airflow, and local mediator levels after unilateral nasal allergen provocation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this double-blind, randomized, crossover study 18 subjects with allergic rhinitis to grass pollen received Ze 339, desloratadine, and placebo for 5 days before nasal allergen challenge with grass pollen extract. Rhinomanometry, symptom assessment, and local inflammatory mediator measurement were performed during the 24 hours after allergen challenge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With Ze 339, the patient's time to recovery (5.4 ± 1.6 hours) from nasal obstruction after allergen challenge (time for return to 90% of baseline value ± SEM) was significantly shorter than with placebo (9.1 ± 2.3 hours, P = .035) and desloratadine (10.7 ± 2.5 hours, P = .022). Likewise, Ze 339's standardized symptom assessment for nasal obstruction (3.2 ± 1.3 hours) showed significantly faster relief (time for return to baseline value ± SEM compared with placebo, 8.3 ± 2.4 hours; P = .027) and desloratadine (4.5 ± 1.2 hours, P = .030). One interesting finding was that Ze 339 significantly reduced IL-8 and leukotriene B(4) levels in nasal secretions before challenge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When compared with desloratadine and placebo, Ze 339 shows better efficacy in relieving nasal obstruction symptoms and inhibiting critical components of the chemokine network and as such represents a novel symptomatic and possible prophylactic treatment for allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology, Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alina F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dumitru
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shamji
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagenmann
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hindersin
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scheckenbach
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greve
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klenzner
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nebel
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zahner
authors.forename: Carsten B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Weber
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chaker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017336:Loratadine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011058:Pollen; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D016209:Interleukin-8; D010936:Plant Extracts; C476335:Ze 339; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D017336:Loratadine; C121345:desloratadine