Effects of Topical Nasal Decongestants on the Cilia of a Chicken Embryo Tracheal Organ Culture System

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Abstract
There is little physiologic data concerning the possible toxicity of nasal decongestants on respiratory cilia. Consequently, a chicken embryo tracheal organ culture system was employed to study the effect on ciliary activity of various preparations and concentrations of the following medications: tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride (Tyzine®), xylometazoline hydrochloride (Otrivin®), Dristan,® Sinex®, NTZ® oxymetazoline hydrochloride (Afrin®), naphazoline hydrochloride (Privine®), and phenylephrine (Neosynephrine®). Only two dilutions of injectable phenylephrine 0.25% and 0.10% produced essentially no ciliotoxicity when compared to the cilia in control cultures. All the other topical nasal medications in the concentrations tested possessed some toxicity for cilia. The use of these medications should be tempered with the warning of possible cilia damage.