Dimetindene, also sold under the brand name Fenistil, is an

antihistamine Antihistamines are drugs which treat allergic rhinitis, common cold, influenza, and other allergies. Typically, people take antihistamines as an inexpensive, generic (not patented) drug that can be bought without a prescription and provides ...

anticholinergic Anticholinergics (anticholinergic agents) are substances that block the action of the acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter at synapses in the central nervous system, central and peripheral nervous system. These agents inhibit the parasympatheti ...

. It is a first generation selective

H1 antagonist H1 antagonists, also called H1 blockers, are a class of pharmaceutical drug, medications that block the action of histamine at the histamine H1 receptor, H1 receptor, helping to relieve allergy, allergic reactions. Agents where the main therapeu ...

. Dimetindene is an atypical first generation H1 antagonist as it only minimally passes across the

blood–brain barrier The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective semipermeable membrane, semipermeable border of endothelium, endothelial cells that regulates the transfer of solutes and chemicals between the circulatory system and the central nervous system ...

. Dimetindene is also an M2 receptor antagonist. It was patented in 1958 and came into medical use in 1960.

Medical use

Dimetindene is used orally and topically as an

antipruritic Antipruritics, abirritants, or anti-itch drugs, are medications that inhibit itching (Latin: ''pruritus''). Itching is often associated with sunburns, allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, Fungal infection in animals, fungal infections ...

. It is used topically to treat skin irritations, such as insect bites. Dimetindene is also administered orally to treat allergies, such as

hay fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of rhinitis, inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It is classified as a Allergy, type I hypersensitivity re ...

. It is commonly formulated as its

maleic acid Maleic acid or ''cis''-butenedioic acid is an organic compound that is a dicarboxylic acid, a molecule with two carboxyl groups. Its chemical formula is HO2CCH=CHCO2H. Maleic acid is the ''cis'' Cis–trans isomerism, isomer of butenedioic acid, ...

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

, dimethindene maleate.

Names

It is sold under the brand name Fenistil among others.

References

{{Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor modulators 2-Pyridyl compounds H1 receptor antagonists Indenes M1 receptor antagonists M2 receptor antagonists M3 receptor antagonists M4 receptor antagonists M5 receptor antagonists Dimethylamino compounds