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Background: In most cases, severe asthma in children has an allergic etiology, but allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is contraindicated. Objective: This study aimed at analyzing the safety and efficacy of AIT in patients with severe asthma treated with omalizumab (OM). Methods: A descriptive real-life study was carried out by reviewing medical records. Effectiveness was measured by the degree of control (CAN questionnaire), number of hospitalizations per year, number of exacerbations per year, and maintenance treatment and lung function (FEV1). Some adverse reactions occurred (AAI-EAACI-WAO guidelines). Results: The retrospective study included 29 patients up to 18 years of age with severe asthma with OM plus AIT treatment. AIT treatment was started in a cluster schedule when patients treated with OM achieved disease control. Before starting AIT, patients were treated with OM for 1 year for achieving asthmatic control. AIT to mites (51%), Alternaria (37.9%), or pollens (10.3%) was administered. After one year with OM plus AIT,statistically significant differences in CAN scores and FEV1 measures were observed (P < 0.001). No patients under treatment with OM plus AIT required hospital admission. During the clustering schedule, only 3/64 doses showed systemic adverse reactions. During the AIT maintenance treatment, 348 doses were administered, with no significant adverse reactions. Conclusion: In this population-based study in children with severe asthma, the combined treatment with OM plus AIT was safe and effective. This strategy allows these pediatric patients to be safely treated with AIT.

Heteropterys cotinifolia(Malpighiaceae) has been used in traditional Mexican medicine mainly for the treatment of nervous disorders. However, the specific neuropharmacological activities responsible for this use remain to be defined. The present study evaluates the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects produced by the methanolic extract ofHeteropterys cotinifoliaand the influence of such effects on motor activity in ICR mice. Our results show that the methanolic extract ofHeteropterys cotinifoliaproduces a dose-dependent antidepressant effect in the forced swimming test in mice at doses from 31 to 310 mg/kg, with no reduction of mice locomotion. However, no anxiolytic properties were observed. Our findings suggest that the main extract compounds identified as chlorogenic acid and rutin may be involved in the antidepressant effects. To our knowledge, the present study constitutes the first report of pharmacological and phytochemical data ofHeteropterys cotinifolia. The presence of flavonoids in the methanolic extract ofHeteropterys cotinifoliamay also provide further data to characterize taxonomically this species in order to be distinguished from others species closely related and belonging to the same genus.