A study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology aimed to assess and compare the effect of monotherapy with racemic salbutamol and levosalbutamol on symptoms, quality of life and pulmonary function in mild persistent asthma.

This was a randomized, open, parallel comparative study of efficacy and safety that enrolled 60 patients with mild persistent asthma. After baseline assessments, salbutamol was prescribed to 30 patients and levosalbutamol to another 30 for four weeks.

The results showed that shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheeze, cough and overall asthma symptom score were significantly decreased in the levosalbutamol group in comparison to the salbutamol group. Though the improvement in symptoms, activity limitations, environmental stimuli-related scoring and overall Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire scoring was statistically noteworthy in the levosalbutamol group. Percentage reversibility of forced expiratory volume at one second, forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow rate was found to be superior in the levosalbutamol group.

Hence, the findings indicated that levosalbutamol was found to be superior compared to recemic salbutamol in mild persistent asthma.

Source: Indian Journal of Pharmacology. 2011 Nov;43(6):638-43. doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.89817.