title: Antihistamines as analgesics.
abstract: Histamine activates pain-transmitting nerve fibres, releases pain-related neuropeptides, and is painful when injected into the skin. Histamine agonists mimic these effects, suggesting that histamine plays a role in mediating the signal transduction of tissue damage or other painful stimulus. Certain 'antihistamines' (histamine H1 receptor antagonists) and other antihistaminics are 'analgesic' in preclinical or clinical models. Potential sites of action of these agents include the brain and spinal cord and a specific histamine receptor subtype might be involved (three subtypes have been identified). However, it is possible that other mechanisms account for the analgesic effect.
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. rraffa@nimbus.temple.edu
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Raffa
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011968:Receptors, Histamine / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D011968:Receptors, Histamine