Nasonex
Meaning of Nasonex: A steroid aimed at one surface: the same molecule is sold as a cream and an inhaler, but under different names entirely.
Definition of Nasonex
Nasonex is a trade name for mometasone furoate delivered as a nasal spray, a steroid used to calm inflammation in the lining of the nose. It is prescribed for hay fever and other allergic nasal symptoms and for nasal polyps, the soft swellings that grow from an inflamed lining. The spray acts on the surface it lands on, and little of it reaches the rest of the body.
How does a steroid spray work?
An allergic nose is not merely irritated. Immune cells sitting in the lining recognize pollen or dust, release messengers, and those messengers widen blood vessels, drive fluid into the tissue and pull in more immune cells, producing blockage, itching, sneezing and a constant stream. A corticosteroid reaches into the nucleus of those cells and turns down the genes running the whole program, so the inflammation subsides rather than being masked. That takes days to build, unlike a decongestant spray that shrinks vessels in minutes, and the difference explains why the benefit is lost when the spray is used only on bad days.
Is it the same product as the cream or the inhaler?
| Preparation | Where it acts | What it treats |
|---|---|---|
| Nasal spray | Lining of the nose | Allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps |
| Cream or ointment | Skin | Eczema and other inflamed skin |
| Dry powder inhaler | Airways of the lung | Persistent asthma |
All three carry the same active drug, and each is sold under its own brand: the skin preparation is marketed as Elocon, which is a separate product rather than another name for the spray. They are not interchangeable, since a nasal spray deposits nothing useful on skin and a cream is not formulated for a mucous membrane.
Why does so little reach the body?
Most of a spray dose ends up swallowed, and the liver breaks down almost all of what it absorbs before it can enter the general circulation. Effects are therefore mostly confined to the nose, in contrast with steroid tablets. What problems occur are local: dryness, crusting, stinging and nosebleeds, usually where the spray is aimed straight at the central partition rather than out toward the cheek. In children on long-term treatment, growth is followed as a precaution. The active compound itself is listed as mometasone.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Nasonex was continued through the pollen season for persistent nasal congestion.
Good to know
Nasonex names the nasal spray specifically, while the skin cream and the asthma inhaler containing the same drug are separate products under separate brand names and are not substitutes for one another.