Some asthma inhalers have an ingredient that may counteract benefits

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 27 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PDT


Albuterol, an anti-inflammatory drug is made of two components - an anti-inflammatory drug and an inactive one. Researchers at Pittsburgh University, USA found that albuterol may not work.

They say the inactive drug could reverse the effect of the active one. Reliever asthma inhalers use Albuterol (Salbutamol in UK) along with steroids. It is a beta-agonist and is used to help relax and open the muscles surrounding air passages in the lungs.

Long-term preventative inhalers do not use them.

For a while, experts have wondered whether long-term use of albuterol really helps asthmatics.

Some patients on albuterol, commented Dr. Williams Ameredes, team leader, have had severe enough responses to land them in hospital.

There are two isomers (components) in albuterol - '(S)-albuterol' and '(R)-albuterol'.

The anti-inflammatory component is the (R)-albuterol. (S)-albuterol is supposed to have no effect.

The researchers found that although (R)-albuterol works, the (S)-albuterol works as its neutraliser - it stops it from doing what it is supposed to do.

Dr Ameredes said "These results indicate that (S)-albuterol may diminish the beneficial anti-inflammatory effects of steroids by a mechanism that is not currently understood."

He did not know why albuterol acts in this way and said further studies would be needed to find out.

Albuterol is only used to provide short-term relief, it is not a long-term treatment.

The team presented their study at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (annual meeting).

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