A new method of the measurement of nasal secretion in guinea pigs

A simple quantitative method to measure nasal secretion in guinea pigs is described. Nasal secretion was measured with a piece of cotton thread dyed with fluorescein at one end which was inserted into an anterior naris and kept there for 60 s. The stretch of color of a thread dyed with fluorescein was proportional to fluid volume and to increase in weight of a thread due to absorbed nasal secretion induced by nasal provocation. In addition, the stretch of color due to nasal secretion was associated with the score of rhinorrhea. Thus, it is considered that the amount of nasal secretion can be reflected to the length of the stretch of color. Each secretion on the ipsilateral and the contralateral sides induced by nasal provocation could be separately measured by this method. The amount of nasal secretion induced by allergen in passively sensitized guinea pigs could be reduced by pretreatment with ketotifen or flutropium. These results suggest that our method may serve as a quantitative test for nasal secretion in guinea pigs, which would be useful in the study of hypersecretory response in the allergic model or in evaluating the effect of antiallergic drugs on nasal allergy.