Disodium cromoglycate in anaphylaxis and pollinois.

Because disodium cromoglycate is being used in treating the symptoms of allergic patients and its mode of action remains uncertain, morphological experiments were conducted in an attempt to further elucidate this compound's mode of action. Rabbits with an ear chamber underwent anaphylaxis, lethal or sublethal, with microscopic observations of the microcirculation during anaphylaxis. At death or a chosen interval tissue of the ear chamber was secured for histological examination. The mast cells and the state of their granules were counted for each section. In no instance did disodium cromoglycate have any effect in preventing the gross or microscopic changes and disodium cromoglycate did not protect mast cells in passive anaphylaxis. The nasal mucosa of a subject sensitive to ragweed pollen was exposed to ragweed pollen in a non-pollen season and the gross symptoms of hay fever were noted. When the nasal mucosa was pre-treated with disodium cromoglycate, however, no symptoms were observed and biopsies of nasal mucosa showed more normal mast cells and fewer degranulated mast cells.