[Pharmacologic study of the effects of the components of beer in vitro]

The effect of brewery dust extracts was studied on 28 isolated nonsensitized guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle. Dust extracts of barley, hops and brewery yeast were prepared in a concentration of 1:10 w/v. Biological activity (constriction of smooth muscle) of dust extracts was expressed as a percent of initial maximal carbacol contraction 10(-4) M. Pharmacological studies were performed by pretreating guinea pig tracheal tissue with drugs such as atropin (10(-6) M), pirilamin (10(-6) M), indometacin (10(-6) M) i verapamil (10(-5) M). Constrictor effects of the dust extracts was significantly inhibited by atropine suggesting an interaction of the extracts with parasympathetic nerves. Inhibition of contraction of other mediators was less effective and varied with dust extract. Our data suggest that brewery dust extracts cause a dose related airway smooth muscle constriction by nonimmunological mechanisms involving cholinergic receptors and a variety of airway mediators.