Stabilizing action of disodium cromoglycate on erythrocyte membrane.

Effect of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on hemolysis of rat erythrocytes was studied. The heat-induced hemolysis was remarkably inhibited by DSCG. This effect was not affected by normal rat serum and was maintained for longer than 60 min similar to the activity in clinical use, although the inhibitory effect of DSCG on reagin-induced histamine release from mast cell disappeared rapidly in 5 min after administration. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as flufenamic acid or phenylbutazone which are known to inhibit the hemolysis depending on their protein stabilizing activities inhibited both of the heat-induced hemolysis and albumin denaturation, but DSCG did not inhibit the albumin denaturation. Furthermore, it was also observed that DSCG inhibited the hemolysis induced by lipophilic agents such as saponin, linoleic acid or phospholipase C. These findings suggest that DSCG has a certain membrane stabilizing activity, in addition to the inhibitory effect on reagin-induced histamine release, and that the activity may be probably related to membrane lipids rather than membrane-proteins.