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The effect of some commercially available antihistamine and decongestant intra-nasal formulations on ciliary beat
1Drug Delivery Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Abstract:
The effects of azelastine (0.1%) nasal spray (Rhinolast) on ciliary beat frequency are investigated and compared with those of oxymetazoline hydrochloride (Vicks Sinex), xylometazoline (Otrivine) and ephedrine hydrochloride (0.5%). It is shown that all four formulations exert a ciliotoxic effect. The antihistamine (azelastine) and the two long-acting alpha sympathomimetic decongestants (xylometazoline and oxymetazoline) had comparable effects which were milder than those observed with ephedrine, the less specific alpha and beta sympathomimetic agent. The results suggest that the intranasal application of all four products should be restricted to short-term therapy. Oral antihistamine therapy and not topical therapy should still be the first-line therapy for antihistamine-responsive rhinitis until non-ciliotoxic formulations can be developed.