Chlorpheniramine for motion sickness.
BACKGROUND
Motion sickness remains a significant problem for travelers and for those involved in naval, aviation and space operations. Many motion sickness remedies are also sedating, making them undesirable in many settings.


METHODS
We studied chlorpheniramine as a potential motion sickness treatment. A placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-ranging trial was performed to establish the most effective dose and the drug's effects on cognition. Eighteen normal, motion sickness susceptible subjects received placebo, low dose (4 mg) or high dose (12 mg) chlorpheniramine 3.5 hours before off-axis vertical rotation. Cognitive testing included a battery of objective and subjective tests performed before drug ingestion, at peak drug effect and following rotation.


RESULTS
Chlorpheniramine significantly increased the time in the chair compared to placebo at high dose (7.2 minutes to 11.7 minutes) and low dose (7.2 minutes to 10.2 minutes). Chlorpheniramine did not affect performance on objective cognitive tests. Subjects reported significantly more sleepiness and less alertness with high-dose chlorpheniramine, although they could not reliably determine when they had received active drug.


CONCLUSIONS
Chlorpheniramine is effective and could be considered for use against motion sickness. Chlorpheniramine also has the potential to be administered transdermally.
Buckey
Jay C
JC
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, One Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756, USA. jay.buckey@dartmouth.edu
Alvarenga
Donna
D
Cole
Bernard
B
Rigas
James R
JR
D000328:Adult; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D002744:Chlorpheniramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009041:Motion Sickness / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012399:Rotation
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D002744:Chlorpheniramine