Latest news with #allergytreatment
Gizmodo
07-08-2025
- Health
- Gizmodo
This Already-Approved Drug Could Stop Food Allergies' Worst Reactions
Food allergies suck. Beyond placing onerous limits on your diet, their health impacts can totally derail your life, and scientists have been scrambling for years to try and find better, more lasting treatments for these conditions' worst effects. Now, a pair of papers published today in the journal Science unlock crucial new insights into what goes on in the body when anaphylaxis occurs and indicate how an existing medication could one day help prevent these life-threatening allergic reactions. In one paper, a team of scientists reveal evidence in lab mice for a previously unknown pathway in the gut that may be responsible for some food allergy symptoms. And in the second paper, another team demonstrates that an asthma drug called zileuton blocks a crucial aspect of this pathway in mice, seemingly preventing the expected allergic reactions from happening in most cases. The researchers are now launching a clinical trial to test whether zileuton can pull off the same trick in people. 'If so, this could provide a treatment to prevent anaphylaxis,' Adam James Williams and Stephanie Eisenbarth, both immunologists at Northwestern University who are co-authors on the second paper, told Gizmodo in an email. Scientists have been working for years to solve a perplexing mystery: Why do some people who have tested positive for food allergies not become sick when exposed to the trigger food, while others with the same allergy develop anaphylaxis? The researchers describe a gene called DPEP1 that seems to play a surprising role in controlling food-related anaphylaxis in mice: The gene appears to regulate the release of leukotrienes in the gut—these molecules help spark an immune response to an allergen. When we eat food, most of it is broken down into nutrients for the body to use. But some small amount of it is transported through the gut into the blood as whole proteins, and it's these whole proteins that can trigger a reaction in someone with a food allergy. 'We unexpectedly found that leukotrienes in mice control the amount of whole proteins that are transported across the gut, even in a healthy non-allergic state,' the study authors explained. And scientists already knew that leukotrienes play a part in causing asthma attacks, and several asthma treatments, including zileuton, work by blocking these molecules' activity. The researchers then gave a dose of zileuton to mice that were allergic to peanuts and then exposed them to their trigger food. They found that the drug blocked the leukotrienes in the mice's gut from working as usual, thereby decreasing the likelihood of an allergic reaction. All told, 95% of the dosed mice failed to show any sign of anaphylaxis, the researchers reported. The studies are in mice, so how the findings translate to people remains to be seen. The authors also caution that zileuton is not a cure for food allergies. That said, if human trials bear out what was seen in the mice, the drug could be used as a prophylactic that some people could take before a high-risk situation where they're likely to be exposed to such foods. Notably, many people already take zileuton daily for long-term maintenance of their asthma symptoms, suggesting its safety, although it is unclear how its long-term use affects the gut. If the ongoing clinical trial in humans is successful in showing the drug blocks the same pathway as in mice, the researchers plan to directly test the drug's ability to prevent anaphylaxis in people with food allergies. Beyond the clinical applications, the research poses other questions, the researchers said. 'There are a lot of other exciting questions, like whether this pathway is regulated by things in our environment, such as changes in the microbiome induced by diet,' Williams and Eisenbarth said.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Urgent warning over powerful hay fever jab as sufferers flock to buy banned treatment online
HAY fever sufferers have been warned not to buy super-strong injections online as demand has soared for a banned drug. The National Pharmacy Association told patients to stop trying to buy the medicine Kenalog. 1 It found half of chemists – 45 per cent – have had customers asking for the jab as spring has brought higher pollen counts. Its license for hay fever was withdrawn years ago due to fears over side effects like high blood pressure, headaches, dizziness and mental health problems. But desperate Brits are still trying to buy it after seeing it on social media, putting them at risk from rogue sellers. Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, said: 'Kenalog is not licensed in the UK for the treatment of hay fever and patients should not seek it online or request it from their pharmacy. 'We're urging people to avoid using unlicensed treatments, which could pose a serious risk to their health. 'Pharmacists are well placed to provide safe licensed alternatives, such as antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays. 'Medication from unregulated sellers could be fake, swapped for an alternative medication and not meet rigorous safety standards we have in the UK.' The Met Office estimates 10million people in the UK suffer from hay fever, which causes mild allergic reactions to plant pollen. Pollen counts are currently high across the Midlands and North of England. The NPA said 96 per cent of pharmacies have seen a recent rise in the number of people asking for anti-allergy treatments. When your hay fever symptoms could really be signs of cancer Kenalog is a steroid that can be legally prescribed on the NHS for joint swelling caused by arthritis. What other natural remedies do doctors recommend for hayfever? IF you don't want to take antihistamines to keep hayfever symptoms at bay, there are a number of tried and tested natural remedies you can give a go instead. Here's some of the ones doctors recommend: Saltwater nasal sprays Sprays containing Ectoin can both relieve symptoms and prevent them too, expert consultant adult and paediatric allergist and immunologist Professor Adam Fox explained. Steam inhalation Another natural remedy, which is also safe to use during pregnancy as well, is steam inhalation. This solution has been used for centuries to help ease nasal congestion, and is as helpful at reducing hayfever symptoms as it is for sinusitis or a head cold. Wear sunglasses Investing in a good pair of wrap around sunglasses can be vital if you struggle with hayfever, as they can help reduce the amount of pollen that gets into, and irritates, the eyes. Clean pollen away before bed It's also important to ensure you're not taking pollen from the day to bed with you. Make sure you wash your hair and clean your face and eyelashes before bed to stop allergens rubbing onto your pillow and exacerbating symptoms.
