RESUMO
The mechanism of magnesium proposed effect on asthma is unknown, but may involve a direct action on bronchial smooth muscle, producing airway dilatation. It was found that magnesium sulphate and zinc sulphate relaxed the contracted bronchial smooth muscle in a concentration-dependent manner. The current study was done to evaluate serum and RBCs level of magnesium in asthmatic and healthy subjects, to assess the effect of B[2] agonists on blood magnesium level and to assess the possible role of magnesium sulphate and zinc sulphate in stable mild to moderate asthmatic patients. Sixty subjects were included, 20 apparently healthy and 40 mild to moderate asthmatics who were subgrouped into two groups: 2a who received intravenous magnesium sulphate for 5 days and group 2b who received oral zinc sulphate for 5days. Serum magnesium was non significantly decreased in asthmatics when compared to normal control subjects, while RBCs content was significantly decreased in asthmatics when compared to controls. It was concluded that RBCs magnesium level is significantly decreased while serum magnesium is trivially decreased in asthmatics. Serum IgE and blood eosinophils are increased in asthmatics and pulmonary functions relate inversely to both of them. Salbutamol decreases significantly the serum and RBCs magnesium levels in asthmatics while non significantly decreases them in healthy subjects. Magnesium sulphate may play a role in management of stable mild to moderate asthma while zinc sulphate has no role in the setting of chronic mild to moderate asthma