Antihistamines and production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-8 by human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro: Evaluation of the effects of loratadine and cetirizine

1. 1. In this study, we compared the effects of two antihistamine drugs on the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-8 by human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. 2. 2. Cytokine production was assessed by the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 3. 3. Epithelial cells spontaneously released both cytokines and tumor necrosis factor alone induced a significant increase in this production but loratadine and cetirizine had no effect at the various concentrations studied. 4. 4. The antihistamines have no effect and this suggests that histamine plays no role in cytokine production under these conditions.