Nedocromil sodium is a medication

Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...

 used to prevent wheezing, shortness of breath, and other breathing problems caused by asthma

Asthma

Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...

. It is administered by an inhaler

Inhaler

An inhaler or puffer is a medical device used for delivering medication into the body via the lungs. It is mainly used in the treatment of asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease . Zanamivir , used to treat influenza, must be administered via inhaler...

 under the brand name Tilade (although its effects in this form are far less than those in albuterol or other well known inhaler

Inhaler

An inhaler or puffer is a medical device used for delivering medication into the body via the lungs. It is mainly used in the treatment of asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease . Zanamivir , used to treat influenza, must be administered via inhaler...

 medications) and as an eye drop under the brand name Alocril. Liquid preparations are available in the UK under the name Rapitil for use for allergic eye reactions.

Nedocromil is classified as a cromone. Nedocromil acts as a mast cell stabilizer

Mast cell stabilizer

Mast cell stabilizers are cromone medications used to prevent or control certain allergic disorders. They block a calcium channel essential for mast cell degranulation, stabilizing the cell and thereby preventing the release of histamine and related mediators. One suspected pharmacodynamic...

, inhibits the degranulation of mast cell

Mast cell

A mast cell is a resident cell of several types of tissues and contains many granules rich in histamine and heparin...

s, prevents release of histamine

Histamine

Histamine is an organic nitrogen compound involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter. Histamine triggers the inflammatory response. As part of an immune response to foreign pathogens, histamine is produced by...

 and tryptase

Tryptase

Tryptase is the most abundant secretory granule-derived serine proteinase contained in mast cells that has been used as a marker for mast cell activation. It is involved with allergenic response and is suspected to act as a mitogen for fibroblast lines...

, so preventing the synthesis of prostaglandin

Prostaglandin

A prostaglandin is any member of a group of lipid compounds that are derived enzymatically from fatty acids and have important functions in the animal body. Every prostaglandin contains 20 carbon atoms, including a 5-carbon ring....

s and leukotriene

Leukotriene

Leukotrienes are fatty signaling molecules. They were first found in leukocytes . One of their roles is to trigger contractions in the smooth muscles lining the trachea; their overproduction is a major cause of inflammation in asthma and allergic rhinitis...

s. US Production of inhaled nedocromil ceased in April 2008.