Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site bbncc5.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!bbnccv!bbncc5!sdyer From: sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: Cromolyn Eyedrops Message-ID: <342@bbncc5.UUCP> Date: Mon, 12-Aug-85 23:06:42 EDT Article-I.D.: bbncc5.342 Posted: Mon Aug 12 23:06:42 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 14-Aug-85 21:12:47 EDT References: <344@rti-sel.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, MA Lines: 32 > Cromolyn sodium has been used for a longer period of time, I believe, > in nosedrops. Does anyone out there have any experience with these > nosedrops, or know of any bad reactions/side effects to them? Better > still, is anyone familiar with the literature on cromolyn sodium and > its safety? Just what the heck IS cromolyn sodium, anyway? A friend > taking cortisone thought it was related somehow to cortisone. Actually, cromolyn sodium has been used in an inhaler for the prophylaxis of asthmatic attacks for more than 15 years, with almost 10 years of U.S. experience. Pharmacologically it is a rather interesting substance, a unique approach in the treatment of allergic syndromes: it prevents the release of histamine and other autacoids from certain mast cells when challenged by antigens. So, it is unlike adrenalin and other sympathetic amines which have pharmacological effects opposite to those of histamine, and it is unlike antihistamines which block H1 histamine receptors on target cells. Finally, it is unlike corticosteroids which block the inflammatory responses induced by the release of such autacoids. As you might expect from its mechanism of action, cromolyn is useful only in PREVENTING allergic reactions--it has no effect on the body's response once the autacoids have been released from the mast cells. So, you take the drug precisely when you're NOT suffering from an acute attack of hay fever, asthma, or other allergies. Cromolyn seems to be well tolerated, with rare reports of irritation and even rarer incidences of individual hypersensitivity to the drug. Long term studies haven't found any remarkable side effects. -- /Steve Dyer {decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer sdyer@bbnccv.ARPA