A descriptive analysis of the use and cost of new-generation antihistamines in the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a retrospective database analysis. (41/477)

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective database analysis was conducted to evaluate the use and cost of new-generation antihistamines (i.e., those that are nonsedating) in the treatment of allergic rhinitis in a managed care population. STUDY DESIGN: The study is a retrospective database review of medical and pharmacy-related claims linked by episodes of care. METHODS: Patients who had been diagnosed as having allergic rhinitis and had at least 1 prescription claim were identified from a database containing patient-level medical and pharmacy-related claims. The treatment patterns of patients with allergic rhinitis who met the study criteria were documented for a 12-month period in which the use of nonsedating antihistamines was described and the associated costs of various medications were assessed. Subanalyses of patients categorized by comorbidity status were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 202,426 patients participated in the study. Nonsedating antihistamines were used by 71% of the patients; the most commonly prescribed drugs were loratadine and fexofenadine. The mean annual charges per patient for the treatment of allergic rhinitis in the study population were $465.21 (standard deviation [SD], 548). The greatest departmental cost was that of pharmacy-related charges (mean, $236.02; SD, 233); the next highest cost was that of outpatient charges (mean, $216.31; SD, 396). Comparisons of departmental charges indicated the use of loratadine was associated with significantly higher treatment costs than that of fexofenadine in a number of patient subgroups. CONCLUSION: In this analysis, loratadine was associated with significantly higher treatment charges than was fexofenadine. This result was observed consistently across different stratifications of patients, including the presence of comorbid respiratory infection, concomitant use of nasal steroids, and the presence of asthma and/or sinusitis. These results provided useful insights into the differential costs associated with the use of nonsedating antihistamines in the treatment of rhinitis.  (+info)

Suppressive effect of tranilast on interleukin-5 prolonged eosinophils survival via apoptosis. (42/477)

Tranilast has long been used clinically to treat allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma. To further clarify the antiinflammatory machanism, we examined the ability of tranilast to counteract the prolongation of eosinophil survival induced by interleukin (IL)-5. Tranilast reduced the IL-5 prolonged survival of eosinophils at the concentration range of 30 microg/ml to 100 microg/ml. The DNA extracted from eosinophils cultured with tranilast showed signs of fragmentation that was comparable with apoptosis. Electron-microscopic analysis of activated eosinophils cultured with 100 microg/ml of tranilast also revealed morphologic features of apoptosis. These data suggest that tranilast may act in vivo on activated eosinophils to reduce inflammation in allergic diseases.  (+info)

VUF-K-8788, a periphery-selective histamine H1 antagonist with anti-pruritic activities. (43/477)

The pharmacological properties of 7-[3-[4-(2-quinolinylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-propoxy]-2,3-dihydro-4H-1,4-benzothia zin-3-one (VUF-K-8788) were investigated in vitro and in vivo. VUF-K-8788 inhibited [3H]-mepyramine from binding to the cell membrane of lung parenchyma (Ki value: 5.0 nM) and the histamine-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum (pA2: 9.71) without affecting ileal contractions induced by acetylcholine, serotonin, KCl and BaCl2. The increase of vascular permeabilities induced by histamine and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in guinea pigs were inhibited by VUF-K-8788 in a dose-dependent fashion (ED50: 0.24 and 0.26 mg/kg, p.o., respectively). Moreover, the anti-histaminic effect of VUF-K-8788 was also observed in rats. In experiments on the effects on the central nervous system, VUF-K-8788 at 1 mg/kg, p.o. hardly antagonized the H1 receptor at all in the cerebral cortex of guinea pigs. VUF-K-8788 inhibited the PCA-induced scratching behavior completely without affecting thiopental-induced sleep in mice. These results suggested that VUF-K-8788 would be useful in the treatment of allergic disorders such as atopic dermatitis and eczema.  (+info)

Inhibitory effect of olopatadine hydrochloride on the sneezing response induced by intranasal capsaicin challenge in guinea pigs. (44/477)

To investigate the possible inhibitory effect of olopatadine hydrochloride (olopatadine), an antiallergic drug, on the tachykinin-mediated nasal responses, we examined the effect of olopatadine on the sneezing and the nasal rubbing responses induced by intranasal capsaicin challenge in guinea pigs. Olopatadine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited the sneezing response by 57% without affecting the nasal rubbing one. The antihistamines chlorpheniramine and clemastine did not affect the responses. Morphine caused the inhibition of both responses, which was antagonized by naloxone. These results suggest that olopatadine inhibits the sneezing response by the inhibition of the tachykinin release and not by its antihistaminic action.  (+info)

Drugs for the treatment of allergic diseases. (45/477)

Many kinds of drugs are used for the treatment of allergic diseases. Glucocorticoids are the most efficacious drugs and widely used for the treatment of allergic diseases. Recently, effectiveness of inhaled glucocorticoids for the treatment of bronchial asthma has been established. Beclomethasone dipropionate and fluticasone propionate, which are degraded easily after absorption, are applied by inhalation. Histamine is one of the most important mediators in allergic reactions and antihistamines have widely been applied for the treatment of allergic skin diseases. In Japan, over 20 antiallergic drugs, such as mediator release inhibitors, mediator antagonists and mediator synthesis inhibitors, have been developed. Recently developed compounds such as pranlukast and suplatast are very effective. To relieve the asthmatic attack, bronchodilators such as beta2-adrenoceptor agonists, theophylline and anti-cholinergic drugs are used. Clinical application of tacrolimus ointment has just started for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Recently the number of allergic patients has increased. The onset and development of allergic diseases are considered to be dependent on both the genetic factors and the environmental factors. For the successful treatment of patients with allergic diseases, it is also important to consider the control of environmental factors.  (+info)

Another anti-allergic mechanism: antibody IgE deglycosylation induced by a substance extracted from human urine. (46/477)

Enzymically-deglycosylated antibody IgE lost its allergic activity in mouse systemic anaphylaxis, though the IgE kept its antibody activity. IgE antibody obtained from mice treated with a substance extracted from human urine was deglycosylated. This IgE also lost the allergic activity on the systemic anaphylaxis but kept its antibody activity. These findings strongly suggest that glycosylation of IgE has a close relation to the binding of the Fc receptor and that humans have another antiallergic mechanism: in vivo IgE antibody deglycosylation induced by the substance.  (+info)

Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic actions by oral administration of a perilla leaf extract in mice. (47/477)

The anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity of perilla leaf extract was investigated. The oral administration of perilla leaf extract to mice inhibited two types of acute inflammatory models, arachidonic acid-induced ear edema and 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced ear edema. Oral administration of perilla leaf extract also inhibited the contact dermatitis model, oxazolone-induced ear edema, by affecting sensitization.  (+info)

Antiallergic agents from natural sources. 3. Structures and inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production and histamine release of five novel polyacetylene glucosides from Bidens parviflora WILLD. (48/477)

Five new polyacetylene glucosides, bidensyneosides A1, A2, B, C (1-4), and 3-deoxybidensyneoside B (5), have been isolated from the air-dried whole plant of Bidens parviflora WILLD. The structures were identified based on spectroscopic analysis, physicochemical properties, and application of the modified Mosher method to be 3(R),8(E)-8-decene-4,6-diyne-1,3-diol 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), deca-3(R),8(Z) 8-decene-4,6-diyne-1,3-diol 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 3(R)-deca-4,6,8-triyne-1,3-diol 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), 3(R),8(E)-8-decene-4,6-diyne-1,3,10-triol 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), and 8(E)-8-decene-4,6-diyne-1,10-diol 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), respectively. These compounds inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma activated murine macrophages (RAW264.7) and also inhibited histamine release from rat mast cells stimulated by the antigen-antibody reaction.  (+info)