EFFECTS OF TOPICAL NASAL STEROIDS ON HUMAN RESPIRATORY MUCOSA AND HUMAN GRANULOCYTES IN-VITRO

Human respiratory mucosa and human granulocytes were exposed to topica l nasal steroids in vitro. The preparations containing benzalkonium ch loride and benzalkonium chloride alone destroyed the mucosa within 10 days. The same preparations also inhibited human neutrophil actin poly merization, degranulation and oxidative burst in vitro in a time and c oncentration dependent manner. Preparations without benzalkonium chlor ide, as well as the steroid compounds themselves, did not have these e ffects. It is concluded that benzalkonium chloride has toxic effects o n human respiratory mucosa and human neutrophils in vitro.