D. Bayramgurler et al., Effects of acrivastine, loratadine and cetirizine on histamine-induced wheal and flare responses, CLIN EXP D, 24(5), 1999, pp. 407-411
It is accepted that studies evaluating histamine-induced wheal and flare re
actions in the skin represent a simple and reliable method for demonstratin
g pharmacodynamic activity and pharmacokinetics of the H-1-receptor antagon
ists, In this study, the effects of single oral doses of acrivastine (8 mg)
, loratadine (10 mg) and cetirizine (10 mg) on the histamine-induced wheal
and flare reactions were compared in 60 healthy volunteers, The wheal and f
lare responses were produced by prick test using 1% histamine solution. Mea
surements were performed before the ingestion of antihistamines (baseline v
alues) and afterwards at 15, 30, 90, 240, 360 min and 24 h. The values obta
ined for each antihistamine were compared with each other and with baseline
values. Cetirizine was found to be superior to acrivastine and loratadine
for the suppression of wheal and flare responses at 240, 360 min and 24 h (
P < 0.05) and acrivastine was superior to the other two antihistamines for
the suppression of flare response at 30 min (P < 0.05). Our results indicat
e that a single dose of cetirizine provides a more effective and long actin
g suppression on wheal and flare reactions in urticaria when compared to ac
rivastine and loratadine.