Antihistamines

News Center

Health Centers

Medical Encyclopedia

Drugs & Medications

Diseases & Conditions

Medical Symptoms

Med. Tests & Exams

Surgery & Procedures

Injuries & Wounds

Diet & Nutrition

Special Topics

$\"$alt_text\"$ ');"); } else { echo" $\"$alt_text\"$ "; } ?>

You are here : 3-RX.com > Drugs & Medications > Detailed Drug Information (USP DI) > Antihistamines

Antihistamines (Systemic)

Description

Antihistamines are used to relieve or prevent the symptoms of hay fever and other types of allergy. They work by preventing the effects of a substance called histamine, which is produced by the body. Histamine can cause itching, sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes. Also, in some persons histamine can close up the bronchial tubes (air passages of the lungs) and make breathing difficult.

Some of the antihistamines are also used to prevent motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. In patients with Parkinson's disease, diphenhydramine may be used to decrease stiffness and tremors. Also, the syrup form of diphenhydramine is used to relieve the cough due to colds or hay fever. In addition, since antihistamines may cause drowsiness as a side effect, some of them may be used to help people go to sleep.

Hydroxyzine is used in the treatment of nervous and emotional conditions to help control anxiety. It can also be used to help control anxiety and produce sleep before surgery.

Some antihistamines are used in the treatment of chronic urticaria, which is a persistent hive-like rash.

Antihistamines may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Some antihistamine preparations are available only with your doctor's prescription. Others are available without a prescription. However, your doctor may have special instructions on the proper dose of the medicine for your medical condition.

These medicines are available in the following dosage forms:

Oral

Azatadine
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Brompheniramine
- Capsules (U.S.)
- Elixir (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (Canada)
Cetirizine
- Syrup (U.S.)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Chlorpheniramine
- Extended-release capsules (U.S.)
- Syrup (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Chewable tablets (U.S.)
- Extended-release tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Clemastine
- Syrup (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Cyproheptadine
- Syrup (Canada)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Desloratadine
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Dexchlorpheniramine
- Syrup (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Extended-release tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Dimenhydrinate
- Extended-release capsules (Canada)
- Oral Solution (U.S. and Canada)
- Syrup (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Chewable tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Diphenhydramine
- Capsules (U.S. and Canada)
- Elixir (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S.)
Doxylamine
- Tablets (U.S.)
Fexofenadine
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
- Capsules (U.S. )
Hydroxyzine
- Capsules (U.S. and Canada)
- Oral suspension (U.S.)
- Syrup (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S.)
Loratadine
- Syrup (U.S. and Canada)
- Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Phenindamine
- Tablets (U.S.)

Parenteral

Brompheniramine
- Injection (U.S.)
Chlorpheniramine
- Injection (U.S. and Canada)
Dimenhydrinate
- Injection (U.S. and Canada)
Diphenhydramine
- Injection (U.S. and Canada)
Hydroxyzine
- Injection (U.S. and Canada)

Rectal

Dimenhydrinate
- Suppositories (Canada)

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S. -

Alavert ¹⁴
Allegra ¹²
Aller-Chlor ⁴
AllerMax Caplets ¹⁰
Aller-med ¹⁰
Atarax ¹³
Banophen ¹⁰
Banophen Caplets ¹⁰
Benadryl ¹⁰
Benadryl Allergy ¹⁰
Bromphen ²
Calm X ⁹
Chlo-Amine ⁴
Chlorate ⁴
Chlor-Trimeton ⁴
Chlor-Trimeton Allergy ⁴
Chlor-Trimeton Repetabs ⁴
Clarinex ⁷
Claritin ¹⁴
Claritin Reditabs ¹⁴
Compoz ¹⁰
Contac 12 Hour Allergy ⁵
Cophene-B ²
Dexchlor ⁸
Dimetapp Allergy Liqui-Gels ²
Dinate ⁹
Diphen Cough ¹⁰
Diphenhist ¹⁰
Diphenhist Captabs ¹⁰
Dormarex 2 ¹⁰
Dramamine ⁹
Dramanate ⁹
Genahist ¹⁰
Gen-Allerate ⁴
Hydrate ⁹
Hyrexin ¹⁰
Hyzine-50 ¹³
Nasahist B ²
Nervine Nighttime Sleep-Aid ¹⁰
Nolahist ¹⁵
Nytol QuickCaps ¹⁰
Nytol QuickGels ¹⁰
Optimine ¹
PediaCare Allergy Formula ⁴
Periactin ⁶
Phenetron ⁴
Polaramine ⁸
Polaramine Repetabs ⁸
Siladryl ¹⁰
Sleep-Eze D ¹⁰
Sleep-Eze D Extra Strength ¹⁰
Sominex ¹⁰
Tavist ⁵
Tavist-1 ⁵
Telachlor ⁴
Teldrin ⁴
Triptone Caplets ⁹
Twilite Caplets ¹⁰
Unisom Nighttime Sleep Aid ¹¹
Unisom SleepGels Maximum Strength ¹⁰
Vistaril ¹³
Zyrtec ³

In Canada -

Aerius ⁷
Allegra ¹²
Allerdryl ¹⁰
Apo-Dimenhydrinate ⁹
Apo-Hydroxyzine ¹³
Atarax ¹³
Benadryl ¹⁰
Chlor-Tripolon ⁴
Claritin ¹⁴
Dimetane ²
Gravol ⁹
Gravol Filmkote ⁹
Gravol Filmkote (Junior Strength) ⁹
Gravol I/M ⁹
Gravol I/V ⁹
Gravol L/A ⁹
Gravol Liquid ⁹
Multipax ¹³
Novo-Hydroxyzin ¹³
Novo-Pheniram ⁴
Optimine ¹
Periactin ⁶
PMS-Cyproheptadine ⁶
PMS-Dimenhydrinate ⁹
Polaramine ⁸
Polaramine Repetabs ⁸
Reactine ³
Tavist ⁵
Traveltabs ⁹
Zyrtec ³

Note:

For quick reference, the following antihistamines are numbered to match the corresponding brand names.

This information applies to the following medicines:
1.	Azatadine (a-ZA-ta-deen)
2.	Brompheniramine (brome-fen-EER-a-meen)‡
3.	Cetirizine (se-TI-ra-zeen)
4.	Chlorpheniramine (klor-fen-EER-a-meen)‡
5.	Clemastine (KLEM-as-teen)‡
6.	Cyproheptadine (si-proe-HEP-ta-deen)‡
7.	DesloratadineDesloratadine (des-LOR-at-a-deen)
8.	Dexchlorpheniramine (dex-klor-fen-EER-a-meen)‡
9.	Dimenhydrinate (dye-men-HYE-dri-nate)‡§
10.	Diphenhydramine (dye-fen-HYE-dra-meen)‡§
11.	Doxylamine (dox-ILL-a-meen)†
12.	Fexofenadine (fex-o-FEN-a-deen)
13.	Hydroxyzine (hye-DROX-i-zeen)‡§
14.	Loratadine (lor-AT-a-deen)
15.	Phenindamine (fen-IN-da-meen)†
† Not commercially available in Canada
‡ Generic name product may be available in the U.S.
§ Generic name product may be available in Canada

		Next section
		Antihistamines: Before Using

$\"$alt_text\"$ ');"); } else { echo" $\"$alt_text\"$ "; } ?>

Antihistamines (Systemic)

Category

Description

Brand Names