The output of the drug and the particle size produced by various nebulisers were assessed, and sensible nebulisation times for sodium cromoglycate calculated. Three of the four nebuliser systems tested produced over 80% of total drug output within the first five minutes of nebulisation. We suggest that five minutes is an optimum nebulisation time for sodium cromoglycate using these nebuliser co...

Inhalation treatment may be less effective in the presence of bronchoconstriction because of the reduced penetration of drugs into the airways. The effect of bronchoconstriction on the lung deposition and plasma pharmacokinetics of inhaled sodium cromoglycate was examined. Ten subjects attended the laboratory on three occasions. On the first occasion a bronchial provocation test was performed t...

This paper, which was presented at the 17th JMRC 'John Robert Vane Memorial' Symposium, describes some recent work from the authors' laboratory that provides a tentative explanation for the anti-inflammatory effects produced by the cromoglycate-like anti-allergic drugs. Some of the implications of this finding are discussed.

Compounds that increase tissue concentrations of cyclic AMP inhibit the release of histamine from sensitized tissues when they are challenged with antigen. It has been proposed that the anti-asthmatic agent disodium cromoglycate exerts its anti-allergic properties by inhibiting cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. This hypothesis was based on experiments where it was shown that the inhibition of antig...

In a group of patients with mild asthma the inhalation of mist derived from ultrasonically nebulised distilled water caused an increase in cough and a fall in FEV1. Double blind administration for five minutes of sodium cromoglycate (from an original solution containing 30 mg/ml) or atropine (2 mg/ml) by inhalation from a Minineb nebuliser, 30 minutes before the mist challenge, caused a signifi...

BACKGROUND Budesonide and sodium cromoglycate are both recommended as maintenance therapy for childhood asthma. OBJECTIVE To compare the cost-effectiveness of these two treatment strategies in clinical practice, in an open-label, pharmacoeconomic clinical trial. METHODS Health economics were evaluated in 138 children, ages 5 to 11 years, with unstable asthma not previously treated with cort...

A double blind, crossover study was undertaken to determine whether non-specific hyperresponsiveness in subjects with asthma was reduced by long term treatment with sodium cromoglycate and, if so, whether this was related to change in lung function. Forty four adult asthmatic subjects (41 atopic, three non-atopic) entered the one year study at intervals staggered over six months. After a baseli...

The inhibition of immediate allergen or histamine induced airflow obstruction by inhaled ketotifen, clemastine, sodium cromoglycate, and placebo was studied in two groups of asthmatic subjects. Single doses of ketotifen (0.5 mg), clemastine (0.5 mg), sodium cromoglycate (20 mg), or placebo were administered by inhalation 45 minutes before bronchial provocation testing at weekly intervals, doubl...