ANTI-EDEMATOUS ACTION OF SOME H-1-RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS

The oedema disk technique was used to study the effects of orally admi nistered H-1-receptor antagonists (cetirizine, chloropyramine, clemast ine, cyproheptadine, dimethindene, loratadine, mequitazine and terfena dine) on the inflammation induced with capsaicin or croton oil in the mouse ear, and the effect of topically applied dimethindene maleate ge l on the inflammation induced with croton oil in the mouse ear. In rat s of the Wistar strain, oedema was induced in the hind paw by the subp lantar injection of dextran or compound 48/80. Preliminary antihistami ne treatment inhibited the development of oedema in the mouse ear, and of oedema in the rat paw, to statistically significant extents, in a dose-dependent manner. In all experiments, the most potent drugs were loratadine and cyproheptadine.