Inhibition of PAF-induced eosinophil accumulation in pulmonary airways of guinea pigs by anti-asthma drugs

Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of platelet activating factor (PAF) in guinea pigs caused a dose-related increase in the number of eosinophils recovered from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The prevalence of eosinophils in BALF had significantly increased within 1 hr of i.p. injection of PAF (10 micrograms/animal) and was maximal after 24 hr. Subcutaneous osmotic mini-pumps were used to administer drugs for 5 days prior to i.p. injection of PAF (10 micrograms/animal) and for the subsequent 24 hr. The percentage increase of eosinophils in BALF, due to PAF, was inhibited in animals treated with dexamethasone, aminophylline, cromoglycate, tranilast or ketotifen, but not in animals treated with oxatomide, azelastine, amlexanox, ibudilast or AA-861. These results suggest that inhibition of pulmonary eosinophilia may be a necessary property of prophylactic anti-asthma drugs and provide indirect evidence favoring a role for PAF in eosinophilia of asthma.