THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF N-ACETYL-ASPARTYL-GLUTAMATE (NAAGA) AGAINST NASAL OBSTRUCTION PROVOKED BY ANTIGEN IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Specific nasal challenge test (NCT) with pollen extracts was performed before and after a single dose pretreatment with N-acetyl-aspartyl-gl utamate (NAAGA: Rhinaaxia(R)) nasal spray in 11 grass- and ragweed-pol len-sensitive patients with allergic rhinitis in symptom-free conditio n to test the protective effect of this drug on allergen-induced nasal obstruction and symptoms. In 7 of 11 patients, a third NCT was perfor med in the same way as the second one, except that placebo spray was u sed for pretreatment instead of NAAGA nasal spray. Nasal airways resis tance (R(nas)) measurements were performed before pretreatment and 15 min after NCT. Pretreatment with NAAGA 1 h before NCT significantly (P <0.001) attenuated antigen-induced nasal obstruction. The mean protect ion was 64%. The protective effect against nasal symptoms was likewise significant (P<0.001), but the mean protection was found to be essent ially lower (39%) than for Rnas. Pretreatment with placebo nasal spray showed only a 13 % (P>0.1) protection for Rnas, while it did not decr ease allergen-induced nasal symptoms. The results suggest that the fav orable effect of the regular administration of NAAGA in allergic rhini tis is to be expected primarily when the main complaint is nasal obstr uction.