Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis with Ectoine Containing Nasal Spray and Eye Drops in Comparison with Azelastine Containing Nasal Spray and Eye Drops or with Cromoglycic Acid Containing Nasal Spray

Abstract

Objectives. Allergic rhinitis is a common disease with increasing prevalence and high impact on economic burden and comorbidities. As treatment with pharmacological drugs is not always satisfactory due to side effects and incomplete efficacy, alternative treatment strategies are needed. Ectoine is an osmolyte with membrane stabilizing and inflammation reducing capacities. Nasal spray and eye drops containing ectoine are promising new treatment regimens for allergic rhinitis sufferers. Design and Methods. The current two noninterventional trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of ectoine containing nasal spray and eye drops for treating allergic rhinitis in comparison with either azelastine or cromoglycic acid containing products. Nasal and ocular symptom developments as well as judgment of tolerability and efficacy were assessed both by investigators and patients over a time period of one to two weeks. Results. Both trials confirmed that ectoine containing products reduced nasal and ocular symptoms in allergic rhinitis patients. Results clearly demonstrated good safety profiles of the ectoine products comparable to those of azelastine and even better to those of cromoglycate products. Conclusion. Ectoine containing nasal spray and eye drops are interesting new treatment strategies for sufferers of allergic rhinitis, combining both good efficacy and absence of side effects.

Metabolic Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for High‐Level Ectoine Production: Design, Combinatorial Assembly, and Implementation of a Transcriptionally Balanced Heterologous Ectoine Pathway

“…Its current sales price is approximately US$1000 kg −1 , making ectoine a high‐priced product . The applications of ectoine are manifold and include skin preservation, skin protection against cell damage and aging, and the treatment of diseases such as atopic dermatitis, lung inflammation, allergic rhinitis, and Alzheimer's disease . Furthermore, ectoine is used as a medium ingredient to enhance biotechnology processes …”

Alpha-tocopherol acetate nasal spray in the treatment of pollen-induced allergic rhinitis

“…In this NIS, we observed a statistically significant improvement in nasal symptoms of 27% in the ATANS group, demonstrating a similar effectiveness of ATANS to the aforementioned non-pharmacological treatment options. In another NIS, ectoine-containing nasal spray and eye drops seemed to be a comparable alternative to traditional anti-inflammatory agents such as azelastine, cromoglycin and levocabastine for the treatment of AR [26,27]. Patients using ectoine nasal spray showed an improvement of about 32% in the symptoms of rhinorrhoea and 30% in nasal obstruction [26], as well as a reduction of 23% in the total nasal symptom score [27].…”

Ectoine as a promising protective agent in humans and animals

“…Some studies showed that products containing ectoine may be a better alternative to other products, as they reduce ocular and nasal symptoms with no side effects (40)(41)(42). Promising effects such as reduction of nasal airway obstruction and crust formation were also observed in patients with rhinitis sicca anterior treated with nasal spray containing ectoine alone or in combination with dexpanthenol (43).…”