LONDON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Ground-up shrimp shells stirred into a nasal spray are being tested in England as a treatment for allergies and hay fever, Sky News reported Monday.
With one-third of Britain suffering from allergies, British scientists who developed and are now studying clinical trials of a nasal spray that comes from shrimp, hope it will provide lots of relief.
The reason shrimp shells are so attractive, scientists say, is that they contain a natural chemical that makes up the creature's protective coat.
The chemical can also block the human immune system's reaction to allergic substances.
Thousands of tons of shrimp are caught every year and the active substance, chitin, is easily purified from the shells.
It has also been shown that using the nasal spray does not trigger a seafood allergy.
In theory, any allergy of the respiratory tract could be treated with the new nasal spray, but the long term goal is to use it in young children and babies to prevent allergies from developing.
Asthma sufferers reportedly welcome the new medication because it does not have the side effects present in current treatments.
Scientists at the Medical Research Council need commercial backing to develop the nasal spray.
