OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect and safety of Lu'e Biyan Formula (LBF) combined with loratadine in the treatment of moderate to severe allergic rhinitis (AR) patients with Fei (Lung)-qi deficiency-coldness (FQDC) syndrome. METHODS: From September 2023 to December 2024, moderate to severe AR patients with FQDC syndrome were recruited from the Outpatient Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Pulmonary Diseases Part 1, China-Japan Friendship Hospital. Participants were randomly assigned to a test group and a control group by using a random number table at a ratio of 1:1. Both groups received oral loratadine tablets (10 mg, once daily) for 2 weeks. In addition, the test group received oral LBF (30 mL, twice daily), and the control group received a placebo of LBF. Changes in the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), Total Non-nasal Symptom Score (TNNSS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ), and Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores before and after treatment were compared between groups. Moreover, the total effective rates and disease recurrence rates were compared. Adverse events (AEs) during the study period were also recorded. RESULTS: Totally 109 participants were recruited, and the full analysis set included 105 cases, 54 in the test group and 51 in the control group. Compared with the pre-treatment values, the scores of sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction, nasal itching, TNSS, TNNSS, VAS, RQLQ, and CM syndrome were significantly reduced in both groups at 1 and 2 weeks post-treatment and 12 weeks post-drug withdrawal (P<0.01). After treatment, the aforementioned scores in the test group were all markedly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). Moreover, the total effective rate in the test group was higher than that in the control group (98.15% vs. 70.59%, P<0.01). After 12 weeks of drug withdrawal, there was no significant difference in the recurrence rate between groups (13.21% vs. 22.22%, P>0.05). No obvious AEs were observed in either group following treatment. CONCLUSIONS The combination of LBF with loratadine can effectively alleviate the symptoms of moderate to severe AR patients with FQDC syndrome, thereby improving their quality of life. This therapy demonstrated both precise effect and high safety. (Trial registration No. ITMCTR2025000589).
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Rhinitis, Allergic/drug therapy* ; Female ; Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Quality of Life ; Qi ; Middle Aged ; Loratadine/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Syndrome ; Lung/drug effects* ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome

To analyze the efficacy and safety of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets combined with desloratadine as well as desloratadine alone in the treatment of chronic urticaria by Meta-analysis,in order to provide evidence-based reference for clinical treatment.PubMed,CBM,Wan Fang,VIP database and CNKI database were retrieved to collect randomized controlled trials( RCT) about Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets combined with desloratadine( test group) as well as desloratadine alone( control group) in the treatment of chronic urticaria. Meta-analysis was performed by using Rev Man 5. 3 software after data extraction and quality evaluation( a total of 15 RCTs were included,involving 1 411 patients). Meta-analysis showed that the total effective rate( RR = 1. 28,95%CI[1. 22,1. 35],P<0. 000 01) and the quality of life improvement rate( RR = 1. 49,95% CI[1. 33,1. 66],P< 0. 000 01) of the test group were better than those of the control group,and the recurrence rate( RR = 0. 29,95%CI[0. 21,0. 40],P<0. 000 01) was significantly lower than that of the control group,with statistically significant differences; there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions( RR = 1. 02,95%CI[0. 68,1. 53],P = 0. 92) compared with the control group. Based on the included RCTs,the efficacy of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets combined with desloratadine in the treatment of chronic urticaria were superior to those of desloratadine alone,with similarity in safety. However,due to the low quality of RCTs and the lack of large-scale multi-center studies,the results shall not be further verified by clinical trials.
Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Glycosides ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Loratadine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Quality of Life ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Tablets ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; Urticaria ; drug therapy

To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CACNA1C (SNPs rs58619945, rs7316246 and rs216008) and susceptibility of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) as well as the curative effect of non-sedating antihistamine drugs.
 Methods: Peripheral blood were extracted from 191 CSU patients to collect DNA. Urticaria Activity Score 7 (UAS7) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) changes were collected from these patients with different non-sedating antihistamine drugs. PubMed retrieval system was used to select the 3 SNPs (rs58619945, rs7316246 and rs216008) of CACNA1C. Susceptibility of CSU and curative effect of non-sedating antihistamine drugs (desloratadine, mizolastine, fisofenadine) in 189 CSU patients and 105 controls with different SNPs were compared with Chi-squared test. Data of 105 southern Chinese controls were extracted from the 1 000 genome database.
 Results: Frequency of rs58619945 G allele in the CSU patients was significantly higher than that in the controls [OR(95%CI)=0.660(0.470-0.925), P=0.016]. However, there was no significant differences in rs7316246 and rs216008 between the CSU patients and the controls. Meanwhile there was no significant difference in general curative effect of the 3 drugs in the 3 SNPs (rs58619945: OR=0.843, P=0.454; rs7316246: OR=2.103, P=0.102; rs216008: OR=0.237, P=0.363). There was significant difference in different alleles of rs216008 in the patients administered by desloratadine [OR(95%CI)=0.480(0.247-0.933), P=0.029]. No difference was shown in the 3 SNPs in patients administered by mizolastine.
 Conclusion: The rs58619945 A/G might be related to susceptibility of CSU, and the rs216008 mutation might affect drug response of desloratadine.
Calcium Channels, L-Type ; genetics ; Chronic Disease ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Loratadine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Urticaria ; drug therapy ; genetics

Cyproheptadine (CPH), a first-generation antihistamine, enhances the delayed rectifier outward K current (I) in mouse cortical neurons through a sigma-1 receptor-mediated protein kinase A pathway. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of CPH on neuronal excitability in current-clamped pyramidal neurons in mouse medial prefrontal cortex slices. CPH (10 µmol/L) significantly reduced the current density required to generate action potentials (APs) and increased the instantaneous frequency evoked by a depolarizing current. CPH also depolarized the resting membrane potential (RMP), decreased the delay time to elicit an AP, and reduced the spike threshold potential. This effect of CPH was mimicked by a sigma-1 receptor agonist and eliminated by an antagonist. Application of tetraethylammonium (TEA) to block I channels hyperpolarized the RMP and reduced the instantaneous frequency of APs. TEA eliminated the effects of CPH on AP frequency and delay time, but had no effect on spike threshold or RMP. The current-voltage relationship showed that CPH increased the membrane depolarization in response to positive current pulses and hyperpolarization in response to negative current pulses, suggesting that other types of membrane ion channels might also be affected by CPH. These results suggest that CPH increases the excitability of medial prefrontal cortex neurons by regulating TEA-sensitive I channels as well as other TEA-insensitive K channels, probably I and inward-rectifier Kir channels. This effect of CPH may explain its apparent clinical efficacy as an antidepressant and antipsychotic.
Animals ; Cyproheptadine ; pharmacology ; Female ; Histamine H1 Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; physiology ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Prefrontal Cortex ; drug effects ; physiology ; Pyramidal Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Receptors, sigma ; agonists ; metabolism ; Tetraethylammonium ; pharmacology ; Tissue Culture Techniques

PURPOSE: Nasal cytology is important in the diagnosis and treatment of nasal inflammatory diseases. Treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) according to nasal cytology has not been fully studied. We plan to explore the individualized treatment of AR according to nasal cytology. METHODS: Nasal cytology from 468 AR patients was examined for inflammatory cell quantity (grade 0–5) and the percentage of neutrophils and eosinophils. Results were subdivided into the following categories: AR(Eos), eosinophil ≥50% of the whole inflammatory cells; AR(Neu), neutrophils ≥90%; AR(Eos/Neu), 10%≤ eosinophil <50%; AR(Low), grade 0/1 inflammatory cell quantity. Nasal cytology-guided treatment was implemented: all AR(Eos) patients (n=22) and half of the AR(Neu) patients (AR[Neu1], n=22) were treated with mometasone furoate spray and oral loratadine. Another half of the AR(Neu) patients (AR[Neu2], n=22) were treated with oral clarithromycin. Visual analog scale (VAS), symptom scores, and nasal cytology were evaluated 2 weeks before and after treatment. RESULTS: There were 224/468 (47.86%) AR(Eos), 67/468 (14.32%) AR(Neu), 112/468 (23.93%) AR(Eos/Neu), and 65/468 (13.89%) AR(Low) of the AR patients studied. There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics among these subgroups, except that the nasal blockage score was higher in AR(Eos) patients than in AR(Neu) patients (1.99 vs. 1.50, P=0.02). Comparing AR(Eos) patients with AR(Neu1) patients 2 weeks after treatment, nasal symptoms and VAS were significantly lower in AR(Eos) patients, except for nasal blockage symptoms (P<0.05 of nasal itching and sneezing; P<0.01 for nasal secretion, total scores, and VAS). Comparing AR(Neu1) with AR(Neu2) patients, nasal symptoms, and VAS were significantly lower in AR(Neu2), except for nasal blockage and nasal itching symptoms (P<0.05 for nasal secretions, sneezing, total score, and VAS). CONCLUSIONS: Nasal cytology may have important value in subtyping AR and optimizing AR treatment. Treating neutrophils is very important in AR patients with locally predominant neutrophils.
Clarithromycin ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Loratadine ; Mometasone Furoate ; Nasal Obstruction ; Neutrophils ; Pruritus ; Rhinitis, Allergic* ; Sneezing ; Visual Analog Scale

OBJECTIVE: To determine if Ehretia microphylla (Tsaang Gubat) decoction tea and placebo can improve the symptoms of mild intermittent allergic rhinitis in comparison to loratadine and control tea.
METHODS:
Design: Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled
Trial Setting: Tertiary-Government Training Hospital
Participants: Twenty-four patients diagnosed with mild intermittent allergic rhinitis from October 2015 to July 2016 were randomly divided into a treatment group given Ehretia microphylla (Tsaang Gubat) decoction tea and placebo, and a control group given control tea and loratadine, both taken for 7 days. Patients underwent pre- and post-intervention evaluation by anterior rhinoscopy, Sino-nasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT 22) Questionnaire and 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data were encoded and subjected to statistical analysis using Mann Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test.
RESULTS: Age and gender of the treatment and control group participants were comparable. Prior to intervention, no differences in symptoms were noted between both groups on SNOT 22 and VAS scores. After intervention, no differences in symptoms were noted between the 2 groups on SNOT 22 and VAS scores either. Comparison of pre- (30.4 ± 17.3) and post- (7.2 ± 6.5) intervention mean SNOT 22 scores of the loratadine control group with pre- (32.5 ± 23.7) and post- (7.8 ± 10.4) intervention mean SNOT 22 scores of the Ehretia Microphylla treatment group showed significant improvement of symptoms in both groups. Likewise, comparison of pre- and post-intervention mean VAS scores of the loratadine control group and pre- and post-intervention mean VAS scores of the Ehretia Microphylla treatment group based on symptoms of sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion and pruritus showed significant improvement of symptoms in both groups (p-values of < .001).
CONCLUSION: Ehretia microphylla (Tsaang Gubat) decoction tea may improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis (sneezing, rhinorrhea, pruritus and nasal congestion) and be taken as an alternative to loratadine in patients with mild intermittent allergic rhinitis. Further clinical trials with more participants may provide stronger evidence for this conclusion.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Loratadine ; Sneezing ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Nose ; Isononanoyl Oxybenzene Sulfonate ; Benzenesulfonates ; Pruritus ; Boraginaceae

To investigate the effect of methyleugenol on expression of MUC5AC in nasal mucosa of rats with allergic rhinitis (AR).Seventy-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:normal control group, AR group, loratadine group, low-dose methyleugenol group, middle-dose methyleugenol group and high-dose methyleugenol group with 12 rats in each group. AR was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin in latter 5 groups. 10 mg loratadine q.d was given to rats in loratadine group by gavage; and 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg methyleugenol were given by gavege q.d to rats in low-, middle-and high-dose methyleugenol groups, respectively. Nasal mucosa samples were obtained from rats at 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks after drug intervention. The expression of MUC5AC protein and mRNA in nasal mucosa was detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time fluorescence quota PCR (RT-PCR), respectively.Compared with AR, the percentage of cells staining positively for MUC5AC protein and the relative quantity of MUC5AC mRNA in middle-and high-dose methyleugenol groups were significantly decreased after 2 and 4 weeks of drug intervention (<0.05), but no such decrease was observed in low-dose methyleugenol group at all time points (>0.05). The percentage of cells with positive expression of MUC5AC protein and mRNA in loratadine group were significantly decreased after 1 week of administration (<0.05). The percentage of cells with positive MUC5AC protein in middle-dose methyleugenol group was higher than that in loratadine group (<0.05) after 6 week of drug intervention, but the difference was not seen in high-dose group (>0.05). There was no significant difference in relative quantities of MUC5AC mRNA after 4 weeks of administration between high-and middle-dose methyeugenol groups and loratadine group (>0.05).Methyleugenol can attenuate AR through inhibiting the expression of MUC5AC mRNA and protein in nasal mucosa of AR rats.
Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Eugenol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Loratadine ; Mucin 5AC ; drug effects ; physiology ; Nasal Mucosa ; chemistry ; Ovalbumin ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Danggui Yinzi (DY) on delayed allergy in model mice with qi-blood deficiency syndrome (QBDS).

METHODSQBDS model was established in 48 Kuming mice of SPF grade by using reserpine and acetophenone hydrazine. Forty of them were then randomly divided into the model group, the loratadine group, the high dose DY group, the middle dose DY group, and the low dose DY group, 8 in each group. Another 8 in line with the same standard were recruited as a blank group. Mice in high, middle, and low dose DY groups were administered with DY concentrated solution at 60, 30, 15 g/kg by gastrogavage. Mice in the loratadine group were administered with loratadine solution at 1.66 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in the model group and the blank group by gastrogavage. All medication was given once per day for 1 successive week. Except those in the blank group, the rest mice were evenly smeared with 1% DNCB solution on the abdomen. Five days after skin allergy, 1% DNCB solution was smeared to right ear of all mice to stimulate allergic reaction. Mice in the blank group were smeared in the same way without allergenic reaction. The auricle swelling and the inhibition ratio were determined at 24 h after attack. Blood was collected from orbit and serum IgE level detected using double-antibody sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, auricle swelling obviously increased and serum IgE level was obviously elevated in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, auricle swelling obviously decreased and serum IgE level was obviously reduced in the 3 dose DY groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the auricle swelling degree was superior in high and middle dose DY groups to that in the loratadine group (P < 0.05). The inhibition ratio of auricle swelling was sequenced from high to low as 67.3% in the high dose DY group, 56.0% in the middle dose DY group, 48.1% in the low dose DY group, 47.3% in the loratadine group.

CONCLUSIONSDY could inhibit auricle swelling and lower serum IgE level. It also could inhibit delayed allergic reaction in model mice with QBDS to some extent.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Edema ; drug therapy ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; drug therapy ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Loratadine ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Qi ; Random Allocation

Cancer-related anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) is a hypercatabolic state, characterized by reduced appetite and weight loss due to ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass and adipose tissue. CACS occurs mainly in patients with advanced cancer; thus, weight loss in CACS is often associated with poor prognosis and decreased survival. A large number of studies have been conducted on various pharmacologic agents for palliation of cancer-related anorexia. The purpose of this article is to review the pre-existing pharmacologic agents used for CACS and to evaluate the evidence from current studies on each pharmacologic agent. First, appetite stimulants such as corticosteroids, progestins, cyproheptadine, and cannabinoid have been shown to be beneficial by improving appetite and helping with weight changes even if they had no effect on survival rate. Several other agents with anti-inflammatory effects (e.g., eicosapentaenoic acid, thalidomide, and melatonin), prokinetic agents (e.g., metoclopramide), anabolic agents (e.g., androgens and growth hormone), antipsychotics (e.g., mirtazapine and olanzapine), and antiemetics have also been studied in patients in CACS; however further investigations would be required to confirm the beneficial effects.
Adipose Tissue ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Anabolic Agents ; Androgens ; Anorexia ; Antiemetics ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Appetite ; Appetite Stimulants ; Cachexia ; Cyproheptadine ; Eicosapentaenoic Acid ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Progestins ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Thalidomide ; Weight Loss

Anorexia is one of the most common issues in older patients. Although there is a tendency for loss of appetite in older persons due to decreased physical activity and reduced resting metabolic rate, this physiological anorexia of aging can easily develop into progressive anorexia and weight loss. This pathologic anorexia and resultant weight loss is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, especially in the frail elderly. To prevent older persons from entering a vicious cycle of frailty, that is, anorexia-malnutrition-sarcopenia-functional impairment, routine screening for anorexia and malnutrition should be implemented in geriatric clinical practice. All anorexic elderly patients should be strongly encouraged to maintain their nutrition, and appetite stimulants can be considered if non-pharmacological interventions are not effective. Although there are no US or Korea Food and Drug Administration approved medications for geriatric-specific anorexia and weight loss, several appetite stimulants can be prescribed and are used widely. Megestrol acetate is the most widely studied and commonly used of these drugs. Cyproheptadine, dronabinol, mirtazapine, corticosteroids, anabolic steroids (e.g., testosterone or oxandrolone), and growth hormone are also effective in increasing appetite or weight. However, the use of these orexigenic agents should occur only after their benefit-to-risk ratio has been carefully considered.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Aged ; Aging ; Anorexia ; Appetite Stimulants* ; Appetite* ; Cyproheptadine ; Diethylpropion ; Dronabinol ; Frail Elderly ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Korea ; Malnutrition ; Mass Screening ; Megestrol Acetate ; Mortality ; Motor Activity ; Steroids ; Testosterone ; United States Food and Drug Administration ; Weight Loss