The inhibitory effect of ketotifen on in vitro histamine release in allergic patients.

Since the discovery of ketotifen as a protective drug of hypersensitivity reactions against an antigen, there have been numerous works that have demonstrated this action both in food and inhalant allergies. In this work we studied the inhibitory capacity of this substance in vitro on the membrane of the basophils of individuals sensitized with positive histamine release test in whole blood against the allergen in question. This was compared with the effect obtained with other drugs (ASA, betamethasone, clemastine, DSCG, oxatomide). Forty-five patients were studied: 30 pollen allergies and 15 with house dust allergy. The results obtained showed the clear action of ketotifen as an inhibitor of histamine released on stimulated basophils with any of the antigens studied. The rest of the substances tested did not demonstrate any significant changes on the histamine released.