Effect of Benoxaprofen on Release of Slow-Reacting Substances from Human Lung Tissue In Vitro

1. Macroscopically normal human lung tissue was obtained from operative specimens removed for lung cancer and challenged with antigen or calcium ionophore. The release of histamine and slow-reacting substances was measured by fluorimetric and bioassay techniques respectively.

2. Benoxaprofen, a drug with inhibitory effects on the lipoxygenase and cyclo-oxygenase pathways, caused a dose-related reduction of release of slow-reacting substances without affecting histamine release.

3. These results with human lung tissue in vitro suggest that benoxaprofen may be used to investigate the role of slow-reacting substances in experimental and clinical asthma.