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Decades ago, the active ingredient azelastine was one of the first antihistamines that could be used to successfully treat allergies. The substance continues to be used successfully in nasal sprays and eye drops for hay fever etc. Scientists from Vienna and Innsbruck have now demonstrated broad effectiveness against viral infections that occur via the upper respiratory tract. When people become infected with viral pathogens, it largely occurs through the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract. Vaccinations, for example the influenza or now the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, have only a limited effect against infections (but certainly against severe disease courses) because they hardly provide any protection in the mucous membrane of the nose, mouth, etc. That’s why research is also being carried out on nasal spray vaccines.
But there are also synthetic active ingredients that can be effective in preventing infections in this way. One of the first hay fever medications, the old antihistamine azelastine, was successfully tested here during the pandemic years. But it apparently didn’t stop with SARS-CoV-2. The scientists have now expanded their experiments with laboratory tests including a 3D model of the human nasal tract. This revealed a much broader effect of the antihistamine: in the experimental setup, azelastine protected the mucous membrane tissue in the 3D model from damage caused by influenza viruses. After an infection, the viral load reduced.
In addition, similar effects were shown in prophylactic and therapeutic experiments against RSV pathogens, which are among the most common causes of cough, runny nose and hoarseness. And finally, the experiments demonstrated effectiveness against various SARS-CoV-2 variants and also against other coronaviruses that regularly occur seasonally.
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Source: Nachrichten
