Prophylactic effect of azelastine on sulfur dioxide-induced inhibition of oiliary motility in airway epithelium

Abstract

We studied the effects of azelastine and salbutamol on the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) -induced inhibition of airway ciliary motility. Azelastine and salbutamol dose-dependently increased ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of rabbit tracheal epithelium, as detrmined by a photoelectric technique. Perfusate bubbled with 10 ppm SO₂ greatly decreased CBF and intracellular cyclic AMP levels, an effect that was reversed by pretreatment of cells with azelastine and salbntamol.
Thus, azelastine might protect against SO₂-induced airway injury by accumulating cyclic AMP in epithelial cells.