Treatment of asthma with the help of anti fungal medication itraconazole can reduce the asthma attacks.
Treatment of asthma with the help of anti fungal medication itraconazole can reduce the asthma attacks.
Researchers of University of Manchester have broken new grounds in asthma treatment by using the drug itraconazole for patients suffering from allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, which is a form of asthma.People suffering from sever asthmatic attacks are often treated with steroids or drugs that have equally disastrous side effects. Skin test of asthmatic patients show that about 70% of the people suffering from asthma are allergic to fungus. Researchers feel since allergic reactions to asthma is often due to exposure to fungus; anti fungal treatment have a major chance of success in curing asthmatic patients without any serious side effects. Anti fungal drug itraconazole may not only help in treating asthma, but it can also help patients who suffer from cystic fibrosis and chronic sinusitis, with nasal polyps.
The study is currently going on with small number of patients already enrolled and is expected to end by 2006. The researchers are hopeful that their study will bring to light the effectiveness of fungal treatment of patients suffering from asthma.
