Antihistamine

Antihistamine

Anti histamines are defined as drugs that combat the histamine in the body that are used for treating allergic reactions and cold symptoms. Histamine is a chemical messenger involved in number of complex biological reactions. When a foreign body such as pollens enters the body, the immune system believes those substances to be harmful and generates the release of histamine. When histamine is released, it will interact with the histamine receptors on the cell surface or within a target cell and cause changes in the bodily functions. This stimulates many smooth muscles to contract, such as gastrointestinal tract and bronchi. In certain smooth muscles, they cause relaxation of blood capillaries which increase the flow of lymph and its protein content and lead to the formation of edema (redness and rashes).

Antihistamines or histamine receptor antagonists oppose selectively all the pharmacological effects of histamines. For, Ex. Diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, cimetidine. The adverse effects of antihistaminics are mouth dryness and sleepiness.