EFFECT OF NEDOCROMIL SODIUM AND CROMOLINE SODIUM ON ATOPIC BASOPHIL FUNCTION

Nedocromil sodium (NS) is a new drug for the treatment of bronchial as thma. In the present study, we examined the effect of NS on basophil h istamine release stimulated by anti-IgE, anti-IgE + IL-3 (interleukin- 3) or ryegrass. The effect of cromoline Na (CrS) on histamine release from basophils to the same stimuli was compared. NS did not affect his tamine release from basophils following anti-IgE alone or together wit h IL-3, but augmented the release following ryegrass. CrS did not affe ct histamine release after the same three stimuli. We concluded that N S and CrS do not affect bronchial asthma through direct inhibition of histamine release from basophils. Their action may be via an indirect effect on histamine-releasing factor.