Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the pharmacological effects of flunisolide nasal dosage formulations (suspension formulation, hydrogel and white petrolatum ointments) on the increased nasal vascular permeability induced by histamine using non-sensitized rats as an experimental model of allergic rhinitis. The pharmacological evaluation was done 2 and 24 hours after administration of nasal dosage formulations. In addition, the rheological behavior of the ointments was studied to obtain a better understanding of the pharmacological effects. hydrogel and white petrolatum ointments containing flunisolide significantly inhibited nasal vascular permeability at 2 hours after pretreatment, whereas the suspension formulation did not show any pharmacological effects. Additionally, hydrogel ointment containing flunisolide showed a pharmacological effect that continued up to 24 hours, whereas the effect of the white petrolatum ointment was not continuous. The viscosity of white petrolatum ointment was much higher than that of hydrogel ointment, implying that the spreadability of hydrogel ointment in the nasal mucosa was superior to white petrolatum ointment.
