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(Chest. 1999;116:1138.)
© 1999 American College of Chest Physicians

Xinafoic Acid Is Not a Solvent for Salmeterol

Malcolm Johnson, MD

Glaxo Wellcome, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK

Correspondence to: Malcolm Johnson, PhD, Glaxo Wellcome Research and Development, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1BT, UK

To the Editor

I have read with interest the recent article by Groeben and Emala, "Is ß-Adrenergic-Mediated Airway Relaxation of Salmeterol Antagonized by Its Solvent Xinafoic Acid?" (June 1999).1 There is an important and misleading error in both the title and in the body of the text of this paper. Xinafoic acid is not the solvent for salmeterol; it is, in fact, the salt form of salmeterol xinafoate. However, the terms "solvent" and "vehicle solvent" are used extensively throughout the manuscript.

There is no free xinafoic acid in the marketed product, Serevent (GlaxoWellcome; Research Triangle Park, NC), or, indeed, any that is formed in vivo at physiologic pH when the drug is administered therapeutically. Extrapolations that the authors make with regard to "clinically relevant concentrations of xinafoic acid" and to agents "associated with occupational asthma" and "contribution to fatalities" are erroneous and not justified.

Although the authors conclude that xinafoic acid has no effect on the pharmacology of salmeterol, it is disappointing that a prestigious journal like CHEST would fail in its review process and allow an error of basic chemistry to enter the literature. We are equally concerned that respiratory physicians, who see CHEST as one of the key journals for information in their field, will now think that Serevent contains a "solvent" when administering the drug to their patients.

References

  1. Groeben, H, Emala, C (1999) Is ß-adrenergic-mediated airway relaxation of salmeterol antagonized by its solvent xinafoic acid? Chest 115,1678-1683[Abstract/Free Full Text]




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