This study was designed to analyse
prostaglandins (PGs) in human nasal lavage fluid using the combination of microcolumn high performance liquid chromatography and a He/Cd
laser induced fluorescence detection system. Forty-seven patients with
allergic rhinitis and 12 healthy volunteers were investigated. Four species of PG, i.e.
PGD2,
PGE2,
PGF2 alpha, and
6-keto-PGF1 alpha were detected in the nasal lavage fluid. Concentrations of
PGD2 (1.33 +/- 0.17 nmol/ml) and
PGE2 (0.87 +/- 0.11 nmol/ml) in nasal lavage fluid from patients with
allergic rhinitis (the
allergy group) were significantly increased compared with those of volunteers (the control group, 0.23 +/- 0.16 nmol/ml, 0.29 +/- 0.19 nmol/ml, respectively). On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in concentrations of either
PGF2 alpha or
6-keto-PGF1 alpha between the control group and the
allergy group.
Histamine concentration in nasal lavage fluid was significantly increased in the
allergy group (53 +/- 7.6 nmol/l) compared with the control group (3.4 +/- 1.0 nmol/l). No significant correlation was observed between
PGD2 and
histamine concentration (r = 0.24), or between
PGE2 and
histamine concentration (r = 0.08) in nasal lavage fluid from patients with
allergic rhinitis. Treatment with
oxatomide, an anti-
histamine and
anti-allergic drug, significantly improved symptom scores, but did not alleviate them completely. Concentrations of each PG detected in nasal lavage fluid did not change significantly after
oxatomide treatment. It is concluded that, not only
histamine but also PGs, particularly
PGD2 and
PGE2, might be involved in the genesis of
allergic rhinitis.