Evaluation of the local antihistaminic activity of dimetindene maleate by a quantitative method.

The topical application of a 0.1% dimetindene maleate gel on the forearms of 11 subjects reduces the areas of both erythema and wheal produced by the intradermal injection of 0.025 mg of histamine hydrochloride to a statistically greater degree than 1% d-chlorpheniramine maleate cream (p less than 0.005 and p less than 0.0005, respectively). The quantitative method employed in this study has proved to be an excellent means for the evaluation of the antihistaminic activity of topical preparations.