Antiallergic effects of mequitazine. 2. In vivo experiments

Abstract

Antiallergic effects of mequitazine were investigated in vivo and compared with those of ketotifen and disodium cromoglycate (DSCG). The results obtained were as follows: 1) Mequitazine in doses of 2 and 5 mg/kg given, p.o., 1 hr prior to antigen challenge inhibited dose-dependently the 48-hr passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats. Five mg/kg of mequitazine showed almost the same extent of inhibitory activity as that of 1 mg/kg of ketotifen. An i.v. administration of 1 mg/kg DSCG 1 min before antigen challenge also showed a marked inhibition. 2) The experimental asthma induced by challenge with an i.v. injection of antigen in passively sensitized guinea pigs was fairly inhibited by the pretreatment with 5 mg/kg of mequitazine administered p.o., although 2 mg/kg of this drug showed only a slight inhibition. 3) The experimental asthma induced by aerosolized antigen was also fairly inhibited by the pretreatment with 5 mg/kg of mequitazine given p.o.