title: Duration of the inhibitory activity on histamine-induced skin weals of sedative and non-sedative antihistamines.
abstract: The inhibitory effect of orally administered dexchlorfeniramine (4 mg/day), cyproheptadine (8 mg/day), astemizole (20 mg/day), loratadine (40 mg/day) and terfenadine (120 mg/day) on the size of histamine-induced weals was tested by skin prick test with histamine in an open study including 23 healthy individuals. The antihistamines were administered for 2 days in the nationally recommended therapeutic doses. For all drugs the maximal weal suppression with the dosage chosen was recorded the day after the last dosage, being 29% (for dexchlorfeniramine), 72% (for cyproheptadine), 50% (for astemizole), 62% (for loratadine), and 56% (for terfenadine) of the baseline value. For the drugs in the same order the duration of the inhibitory effect of the drugs after the last dose administered was between 3-4, 7-11, 17-28, 4-7, and 4-7 days, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Medical Dept. TTA, State University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almind
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirksen
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: U G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Svendsen
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012882:Skin Tests; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D006632:Histamine