ANTIALLERGIC ACTIVITY OF TOPICAL LODOXAMIDE ON IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO MODELS

Lodoxamide is an antiallergic drug acting as a mast-cell stabilizer, w hich is effective in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. The stu dy aimed to evaluate the effect of lodoxamide eye-drops on the inflamm atory early-phase reaction (EPR) changes induced by allergen-specific conjunctival challenge (ASCC). This was a cross-over, double-blind, pl acebo-controlled, randomized study, including 10 outpatients suffering from allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to Parietaria judaica. Patients received one drop of lodoxamide tromethamine 0.1% or placebo 30 min b efore each ASCC. Clinical evaluation and cytologic assessment were don e at baseline and 30 min after each ASCC. Lodoxamide induced a reducti on in total symptom score and hyperemia during the EPR (P <0.05). Lacr imation, itching/burning, and eyelid swelling were only slightly (nons ignificantiy) reduced. Lodoxamide induced a reduction in the total num ber of inflammatory cells and neutrophils during the EPR (P <0.02). Eo sinophil and lymphocyte number and ICAM-1 expression showed only a sli ght, not statistically significant decrease. Placebo did not affect th e studied parameters. Lodoxamide reduced early clinical events and cel lular changes after ASCC consistently with its activity as mast-cell s tabilizer. Moreover, lodoxamide was able to downregulate in vitro ICAM -1 expression on the continuously cultured, differentiated conjunctiva l cell line WK. This was shown both in basal conditions (P <0.05) and upon interferon-gamma stimulation (P <0.03), although at high concentr ation.