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Ascorbic acid and pyridoxine in experimental anaphylaxis

  • Histamine and Immunology
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Abstract

Two vitamins, ascorbic acid (AA) and pyridoxine have been suggested by others as useful drugs for the treatment of bronchial asthma, although the views concerning AA are controversial. We have tested both vitamins in some models of histamine release and experimental anaphylaxis. AA does not inhibit mast cell degranulation induced by phospholipase A and histamine release from isolated rat mast cells induced by compound 48/80 or antigen (egg albumin). On the contrary, in the latter tests pyridoxine exerts inhibition in a range of concentrations from 10−3−10−2 M.

We conclude: 1. There is no experimental basis for considering ascorbic acid as a prophylactic antiasthmatic drug as is disodium cromoglycate. 2. Pyridoxine must receive additional basic and clinical investigations in this field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, National Center of Scientific Research, Post Box 6990, Havana, Cuba

    Ricardo Gonzalez Alvarez & Milagros Garcia Mesa

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  1. Ricardo Gonzalez Alvarez
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  2. Milagros Garcia Mesa
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Gonzalez Alvarez, R., Garcia Mesa, M. Ascorbic acid and pyridoxine in experimental anaphylaxis. Agents and Actions 11, 89–93 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01991466

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