In vitro antisickling activity of cromolyn sodium

The improvement in sickle cell disease (SCD) children receiving cromolyn so dium therapy prompted us to investigate its antisickling activity in vitro. The number of sickle cells was determined in deoxygenated blood samples fr om 15 children with severe SCD. At the eight concentrations tested, cromoly n sodium exhibited a significantly higher activity than pentoxifylline, the standard compound. Therefore cromolyn sodium would appear to be an interes ting candidate for SCD therapy and deserves further in vivo investigations.