A comparison study of the effects of loratadine-pharmacopuncture and loratadine-oral administration based on traditional Korean medicine theory on anaphylactic reaction in mice

Pharmacopuncture, or herbal acupuncture, is a new form of therapy derived from combinations of two traditional therapeutic methods, herbal medicine and acupuncture therapy. To compare the efficacy between loratadine-pharmacopuncture (LP) and loratadine-oral administration (LO), the effect of loratadine was investigated in murine models. Anti-anaphylactic effects of loratadine treatments were investigated in compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic reaction and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA). LP treatment significantly inhibited the compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic reaction and PCA. The effect between LP and LO were on a similar level. These results indicate that LP can be used as an alternative method for LO in case of emergency.