STUDIES ON THE CONTACT ALLERGENIC POTENTIAL OF MOMETHASONE FUORATE - A CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR STUDY

Seventy-eight subjects allergic to various corticosteroids were tested epicutaneously with a corticosteroid series that included momethasone furoate, a recently introduced ester-type corticosteroid molecule, in order to investigate its cross-sensitivity potential. Momethasone fur oate was also submitted to a molecular-configuration study and compare d to another ester-type molecule, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate. Only one subject, who reacted to all the corticosteroids, also presented a pos itive reaction to momethasone furoate. The molecular study revealed a significant difference in electronic shape between the momethasone fur oate and the hydrocortisone-17-butyrate molecules. Hence, momethasone furoate could be a safer alternative to corticosteroid-sensitive patie nts.