Effects of two antihistamines on chloroquine and histamine induced weal and flare in healthy African volunteers.

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.