AMBROXOL IS A SCAVENGER OF HYPOCHLOROUS ACID AND MONOCHLORAMINE

Experimental studies have suggested that ambroxol, a drug clinically u sed to enhance pulmonary surfactant production, may also exert some an ti-inflammatory effects, though specific mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Thus, potential scavenging properties of ambroxol towards the most toxic neutrophil-arising prooxidants hypochlorous acid and mo nochloramine were investigated. We have found that the drug at 25, 50 and 100 mu mol/l exerted a significant, concentration-related antagoni zing effect on both chlorine species, with a maximal specific activity detected against hypochlorous acid. These new pharmacological propert ies of ambroxol may play a role in vivo in disease entities characteri zed by white blood cell activation and uncontrolled oxidant generation , such as inflammatory/ischemic conditions.