Fluticasone
FlonasePubChem CID 5311101 · 3D model
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Locks onto steroid receptors inside nasal lining cells and tells the immune system to stand down, easing the swelling, itching, and mucus that allergens trigger.
How it works
Fluticasone is a lab-made steroid that attaches to a receptor inside nasal cells, essentially instructing the immune system to calm down. This switches off many of the cells and chemical messengers that drive allergic swelling, itching, and mucus buildup, including histamine. Sprayed directly into the nose, it works right at the site of irritation, easing congestion, sneezing, and a runny nose. Very little of the drug gets absorbed into the bloodstream this way, so its effects stay largely local rather than acting throughout the whole body.
What it’s used for
Used as a once-daily nasal spray to relieve hay fever and other upper-respiratory allergy symptoms — stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes — in adults and children 4 and older. It's also approved for ongoing nasal congestion caused by irritants unrelated to allergies.
- Mechanism
- Glucocorticoid receptor agonist (corticosteroid)
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Respiratory