Cromolyn sodium: effect on lymphocyte activation and viability in vitro.

The effect of cromolyn sodium on in vitro human lymphocyte viability and activation by phytohemagglutinin and PPD has been investigated in 24 subjects. The presence of cromolyn in the culture (10 mug/ml) significantly reduces the viability of lymphocytes at both 3 days and 5 days. This concentration is probably greater than that which would normally be present in the blood of patients receiving therapeutic amounts of cromolyn, but less than that to which pulmonary lymphocytes would be exposed following inhalation of cromolyn. Cromolyn in concentrations of 0.1 to 100 mug/ml has no effect upon thymidine uptake or viability of lymphocytes following phytohemagglutinin or PPD stimulation.