Inhibition of oxidative enzymes by anti-allergy drugs.

Lodoxamide tromethamine and several other anti-allergy drugs, i.e. inhibitors of rat passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, are inhibitors of purified xanthine oxidase. Inhibition is noncompetitive with Ki's in the 1-13 micromolar range. Lodoxamide tromethamine had no effect on another flavoprotein, glucose oxidase. Other studies have shown several of these drugs are inhibitors of aldose reductase. It is speculated that the anti-allergy drugs inhibit mediator release from mast cells by blocking univalent electron transfers which are essential for release.