The protective effect of frusemide on the generation of superoxide anions by human bronchial epithelial cells and pulmonary macrophages in vitro

✍ Scribed by M. Soloperto; M. Marini; C. Brasca; A. Fasoli; S. Mattoli

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 458 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0952-0600
• DOI: 10.1016/0952-0600(91)90056-9

✦ Synopsis

Inhaled frusemide has been shown to inhibit bronchoconstriction induced by immunological and nonimmunological stimuli in asthmatic patients. The mechanisms by which this compound exerts its effect in asthmatic airways are unknown, but an inhibitory action on the activation of inflammatory cells or on the responsiveness of sensory epithelial nerves may be involved. In this study, we give evidence that frusemide prevents in part the activation of bronchial epithelial cells and pulmonary macrophages, as it reduces the rate of superoxide anion generation induced by IgE receptor cross-linking and by phorbol myristate acetate by 40-60%. The effect was not specific since we used stimuli which activate different signal transduction pathways for NADPH oxidase stimulation and frusemide was equally effective.