[Experimental study on nasal mucosa injury and repair induced by nasal decongestants in guinea pigs].

Objective: To observe the process of nasal mucosa injury and repair induced by nasal decongestants in guinea pigs Methods: Sixty-five male guinea pigs were randomly divided into 4groups by digital random method.The guinea pigs in Group A (20 guinea pigs)were treated with 2 sprays of 0.1% Naphazoline 6 times a day for 2 weeks; Group B (20 guinea pigs)with 2 drops of 1% Ephedrine 6 times a day for 2 weeks; Group C(20 guinea pigs) with 2 sprays of Naphazolin hydrochloride and Chlorphenamine Maleate Nasal Spray 8 times a day for 2 weeks.Group D (5guinea pigs)did not do any intervention as a control group.At the end of first and second weekend, 6 guinea pigs randomly selected from each group were observed the morphological changes of the nasal cavity with nasal endoscope and pathological microscope.Two weeks after stopping use of decongestant, 24 animals were grouped.Three guinea pigs were selected randomly from each group to form Group E (n=9) and Group F (n=9)respectively. The 6 remaining guinea pigs falled into Group G. Group E received 2 sprays of Mometasone Furoate Nasal Spray once a day for 2 weeks; Group F received 1 ml 2.3% saline to wash the nasal cavities once a day for 2 weeks.Group F was used to show the natural progess without any treatment.At the end of the third and fourth weekend, nasal endoscopic and pathological microscopes were used to observe the nasal cavity structure and the pathological changes of nasal mucosa. Results: Nasal mocusa congestion and edema were observed with nasal endoscopy after 2 weeks of using nasal decongestant. Cell edema, blood vessel expansion, acute and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration, cilium lodging or loss were observed under the pathological microscope in GroupA, B, C. After using MometasoneFuroate Nasal Spray and 2.3% saline for 2 weeks, the above changes were all recovered in Group E and F. No recovery was found in Group G. Conclusions: Short-term and over dose of nasal decongestant can result in the injury of nasal mucosa in guinea pigs, and the injury is much severe as using decongestant last longer.MometasoneFuroate nasal spray and 2.3% saline can repair the injury.