BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE IN NASAL DECONGESTIVE SPRAYS HAS A LONG-LASTINGADVERSE EFFECT ON THE NASAL-MUCOSA OF HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Twenty healthy volunteers participated in the present study on the lon g-term effects of a nasal decongestive spray composed of either a comb ination of oxymetazoline nasal spray and benzalkonium chloride or of o xymetazoline nasal spray alone. Three months before the present study the participants had undergone treatment with nasal decongestants for 4 weeks. Ten of the subjects had been treated with oxymetazoline nasal spray without bezalkonium chloride and 10 of them had been treated wi th oxymetazoline nasal spray with benzalkonium chloride. In a double-b lind study the subjects who had been treated with oxymetazoline nasal spray and benzalkonium chloride were again treated with the same combi nation of substances as before, and the subjects who had been treated with oxymetazoline nasal spray alone were also treated again with oxym etazoline nasal spray alone, but on this occasion only for 10 days. Th ree variables were studied before and after the 10 days of treatment, i.e. nasal mucosa congestion, nasal reactivity and symptom scores. It was found that only the subjects who were treated with the combination of oxymetazoline nasal spray and benzalkonium chloride had increased nasal stuffiness, estimated by symptom scores and measurements of nasa l mucosa swelling after 10 days of treatment. It is concluded that a n asal decongestant spray composed of a combination of vasoactive substa nce and benzalkonium chloride has a long-term adverse effect on the na sal mucosa.