Asthma Drug Shows Promise for Food Allergies

Asthma medication blocked severe allergic reactions to peanuts in mouse study.

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An asthma drug already on the market may hold new promise for people with severe food allergies. In a study from Northwestern University, scientists found that the drug Zileuton stopped life-threatening reactions in mice that were sensitive to peanuts. The research, published in Science, offers an unexpected path forward in treating food allergies, which continue to affect millions of people and have few reliable options for prevention.

The discovery began with a long genetic study involving mice. Researchers wanted to understand why some animals experienced severe reactions to food allergens while others did not. They eventually found that a gene called DPEP1 played a central role. This gene influences how certain inflammatory substances behave in the gut. These substances, known as leukotrienes, are already known to play a role in asthma. The scientists then decided to test Zileuton, a drug that blocks leukotrienes, to see what effect it would have on the allergic response.

The results surprised even the research team. Mice that normally would have gone into anaphylactic shock after consuming peanut extract showed almost no symptoms after being given Zileuton. Before treatment, these mice had a 95% chance of a serious reaction. After treatment, that number dropped to just 5%. The dramatic shift suggests that stopping the action of leukotrienes in the gut might prevent food allergens from triggering a severe immune response.

This opens a new possibility for treating food allergies—not by changing the immune system permanently, but by stopping it from reacting in the moment. For people who face everyday risks from hidden ingredients or unexpected exposure, this could become a way to add a layer of protection before eating out or traveling. It’s not a cure, but it might prevent the worst outcomes.

Food allergies now affect more than 33 million people in the United States. Some reactions are mild, while others can lead to emergency hospital visits or even death. The two approved treatments currently available are limited. One is an oral immunotherapy, which involves small and repeated exposure to an allergen. This method doesn’t work for everyone and can itself trigger reactions. The other option is an injectable medication that is expensive and not always effective.

This study presents an option that works differently. Instead of training the body to tolerate allergens or blocking allergy-related antibodies, Zileuton interrupts the chemical chain of events that leads to anaphylaxis. This could help people avoid serious reactions during high-risk moments.

The Northwestern team has already started a small human trial to see if the drug has the same protective effect in people as it did in mice. Because Zileuton is already approved for use in asthma, moving forward with testing is easier than it would be for a brand-new compound.

The findings may also help explain why some people test positive for a food allergy but don’t react when they eat the food. If the newly discovered pathway is inactive in those individuals, it could mean their bodies allow the allergen to pass through the gut without triggering a serious immune response. This might answer long-standing questions about why allergy tests don’t always match up with real-life reactions.

The results mark a turning point in how scientists think about treating allergies. Rather than focusing only on the immune system’s surface-level response, this work looks deeper into the pathways that allow allergens to enter the bloodstream and cause harm. By stopping that process early, the body may be spared the full allergic cascade.

Though more testing is needed, this study has already raised interest across the allergy and immunology fields. If proven to work in humans, Zileuton or similar asthma drug options could become a go-to option for temporary protection, especially in unpredictable environments. The research also sets the stage for more discoveries into how the gut interacts with allergens and what can be done to control that process safely.

Sources:

Asthma drug found to prevent food allergy reactions in mice

Cysteinyl leukotrienes stimulate gut absorption of food allergens to promote anaphylaxis in mice