Effect of ketotifen fumarate, olopatadine, and levocabastine on ocular active anaphylaxis in the guinea pig and ocular immediate hypersensitivity in the albino rat.

PURPOSE: To study the effects of ketotifen fumarate, olopatadine, and levocabastine on ocular active anaphylaxis in guinea pigs and on ocular immediate hypersensitivity in albino rats.

METHODS

Clinical grading scores and Evans blue dye leakage to eyelids and to eyeballs were assessed in five treatment groups (n = 10): ketotifen fumarate 0.025%, olopatadine 0.1%, levocabastine 0.05%, negative control, and positive control.

RESULTS

At 20 minutes after challenge, edema scores for ketotifen-treated guinea pigs were statistically significantly lower than those for levocabastine or olopatadine. Active treatment significantly reduced vascular leakage in both models. Ketotifen significantly reduced vascular leakage in eyelids compared with the other drugs. In guinea pigs, vascular leakage in eyeballs was significantly reduced with ketotifen fumarate compared with olopatadine and levocabastine.

CONCLUSIONS

In the guinea pig model, ketotifen was more effective than olopatadine and levocabastine at reducing conjunctival edema and vascular permeability in eyelids and eyeballs. In the rat model, ketotifen was more effective at reducing vascular permeability in eyelids than olopatadine and levocabastine.