Abila B, Ezeamuzie I C, Igbigbi P S, Ambakederemo A W, Asomugha L
Department of Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Afr J Med Med Sci. 1994 Jun;23(2):139-42.
This study investigated the effects of single doses of clemastine (2mg orally), mepyramine (2 micrograms intradermally) and placebo on weal and flare caused by intradermal chloroquine 2.5mg and histamine 2 micrograms in 11 healthy black subjects who experienced generalised pruritus with oral chloroquine. Compared with placebo, both antihistamines caused significant reductions in histamine-induced weal and flare. By contrast, chloroquine-induced weal and flare were not significantly altered by clemastine or mepyramine when compared with placebo. It is concluded that histamine is unlikely to be the main mediator of chloroquine-induced weal and flare. These findings are in consonance with the lack of significant effect of antihistamines on chloroquine-induced generalised pruritus.
