EFFECT OF THE SELECTIVE 5-HT2 ANTAGONIST KETANSERIN ON ADENOSINE-INDUCED BRONCHOCONSTRICTION IN ASTHMATIC SUBJECTS

In eight asthmatic subjects a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study was performed to investigate the effect of inhaled ketanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor blocking agent, in a dose of 10 mg given 30 min before test, on adenosine-induced bronchospasm. The protective effect of ketanserin was significant in all patients, even though it altered basal bronchomotor tone in only two subjects. On the contrary, ketanserin did not inhibit histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in four of these eight asthmatics, even though it modified sensitivity and reactivity in one of them. The results suggest that ketanserin influence on adenosine bronchial reactivity and sensitivity was not due to the bronchodilator effect of ketanserin itself or to its antihistaminic activity. We have no certain explanation for the inhibition of adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction elicited by ketanserin. It is possible that 5-HT may play, at least in part, a role as mediator of adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction.