A comparison of levocetirizine and desloratadine in the histamine-induced wheal and flare response in human skin in vivo.
BACKGROUND
The histamine-induced wheal and flare response was used to compare quantitatively the antihistaminic potency of levocetirizine and desloratadine.


METHODS
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 24 healthy male non-atopic volunteers received weekly single doses of 1.25, 2.5 or 5 mg levocetirizine, 2.5, 5 or 10 mg desloratadine, or placebo. Four hours after dosing, histamine (100 mg/ml) skin prick tests were performed on the volar surface of both forearms. The diameters of the wheals and flares were measured 10 minutes later. Sedation was evaluated using a visual analogue scale and a motricity test. The effects of individual drug doses were compared using Student's t-test for paired data and the overall effects of the two drugs by ANOVA.


RESULTS
All doses of levocetirizine significantly (P < 0.0001) inhibited both wheals and flares in a dose-related manner. Only the 10 mg dose of desloratadine achieved significant inhibition of response. ANOVA showed levocetirizine to be significantly (P < 0.0001) more active than desloratadine. Neither drug caused significant sedation or loss of motricity.


CONCLUSIONS
Levocetirizine is significantly more effective than desloratadine in inhibiting wheal and flare responses to histamine in human skin in vivo, with 1.25 mg levocetirizine being more effective than 10 mg desloratadine.
Popov
T A
TA
Clinical Centre of Allergology, Medical University, 1, Sv. Georgi Sofiyski St., 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria. tedpop@rtb-mu.com
Dumitrascu
D
D
Bachvarova
A
A
Bocsan
C
C
Dimitrov
V
V
Church
M K
MK
D000328:Adult; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006632:Histamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D017336:Loratadine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D012882:Skin Tests; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating; D010879:Piperazines; C472067:levocetirizine; D017336:Loratadine; D006632:Histamine; C121345:desloratadine; D017332:Cetirizine