Mast cell stabilizer

Mast cell stabilizers are medications used to prevent or treat certain allergic disorders. They block mast cell degranulation, stabilizing the cell and thereby preventing the release of histamine and related mediators. One suspected pharmacodynamic mechanism is the blocking of IgE-regulated calcium channels. Without intracellular calcium, the histamine vesicles cannot fuse to the cell membrane and degranulate.^[1]

Cromolyn

Nedocromil

As inhalers they are used to treat asthma, as nasal sprays to treat hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and as eye drops for allergic conjunctivitis.^[2] Finally, in oral form, they are used to treat the rare condition of mastocytosis.^[3][4]

Examples

Mast cell stabilizer medications include:

• cromoglicic acid (cromolyn/cromoglycate)^[5][1][6][4]
• ketotifen^[1][6][7][8]
• lodoxamide^[4][9]
• nedocromil^[9]
• pemirolast^[4]
• olopatadine^[4]

Research

The following substances are studied on their potential mast cell stabilizing effects, but the current results are inconclusive:

• vitamin D^[10]
• quercetin^[11]