ABSTRACT
Allergic rhinitis is one of the most important diseases that occurs commonly in east IRAN specially northeast, Khorasan. Approximately 10-15% of general population suffers from it. One of the best methods of treatment of allergic rhinitis, that is the most usual, is the usage of classic antihistaminic drugs [such asChlorpheniramine], but their side effects, specially somnolence and malaise, made a few patients to discontinue such treatment. More than a decade has showed that the Non Sedating Anti Histaminic Drugs [Terfenadin, Astemizole andLoratadine] are free from these side effects and do not show the CNS and anticholinergic disorders. The evaluation of their efficacy in the epidemiology of IRAN, beside the comparison of generic products with the registrated ones, is the main goal of this research. In this clinical study, the efficacy and adverse reactions of the Loratadine and its registratedproduct called Claritin are compared with Chlorpheniramine on 90 patients. It has been performed in northeast IRANand the study is a kind of double blind, prospective studies. 30 patients have received Chlorpheniramine, as the same for Loratadine and Claritin. Then the results are compared with each other by Chi- square test. According to results and the P. value for each controlled sign and symptoms, it seems that all the three drugs act effectively in this setting. On the other hand, there is a suitable growth in their efficacy from Chlorpheniraminetoward Loratadine and then Claritin. Also for the side effects, there is a meaningful difference in somenolence, headache, giddiness and xerostomia between Chlorpheniramine with the others and also a decline in these side effects from Loratadine toward Claritin. The results suggest that in the geographic condition of IRAN, Loratadine and specially Claritin can be use as the powerful and effective nonsedating antihistamines that do not cross the blood brain barrier to show adverse disorders and will be a successful treatment of Allergic rhinitis in the first line, specially in patients who are sensitive to other antihistaminic drugs. Claritin due to acceptable clinical efficacy and lower side effects is preferred toLoratadine and makes the drug managers to pay more attention to quality improvement of the generic products
ABSTRACT
Alcoholic and water extracts of many medicinal plants are commonly used in German folk medicine and other countries as antispasmodics. However, so far no data on dose relationships or comparisons of the antispasmodic effects with reference substances have been available for most of these plant extracts. Using acetylcholine as the stimulating agent, the antispasmodic effect of preparations of Mentha piperita [leaves], Citrus aurantiun [peels], Foeniculum vulgare [fruits] and Carum carvi [fruits], consisting of one part of the plant and three and one half parts ethanol [31% w/w] was investigated on isolated guinea pig ileum and the results were compared with that of atropine. All the extracts shifted the dose-response curves of acetylcholine to the right in a dose-dependent manner and also showed a significant increase of the ED and the dose ratios of acetylcholine if induced contractions, and a significant decrease of the maximal possible contractilty. When the antispasmodic activities of M. piperita and C. awrantium were compared with the activity of atropine, it was evident that their effects were less than that of the usual therapeutic dose of atropine in man. But when the antispasmodic activities of F. vulgare and C. carvi were compared with the activity of atropine. it was found that their effects were slightly greater than that of the usual dose of atropine