Influence of desloratadine on selected oxidative stress markers in patients between 3 and 10 years of age with allergic perennial rhinitis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the selected oxidative stress parameters in 50 (35 males, 15 females) pediatric patients aged from 3 to 10 years diagnosed with perennial allergic rhinitis before and after the two-month treatment with desloratadine at the dose of 5 mg/day and in 11 healthy individuals.Oxidative stress was determined by the analysis of the reactive oxygen species neutralizing enzyme activity in erythrocytes superoxide dismutase and catalase, the estimation of free radical processes intensity: content of malondialdehyde in erythrocytes and the level of plasma hydroperoxides as well as by quantification of the plasma total antioxidant status.Changes in the studied parameters in untreated perennial allergic rhinitis patients indicate increased oxidative stress. The treatment with desloratadine normalized the superoxide dismutase and catalase activity as well as the malondialdehyde formation. The plasma hydroperoxides level in treated patients with perennial allergic rhinitis is reduced as compared with untreated subjects, although still higher than in the control. Desloratadine caused an increase in the total antioxidant status level, but it was not statistically significant.It can be concluded that oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of perennial allergic rhinitis. The results demonstrate that desloratadine exerts antioxidant effects in vivo.