Levocabastine (trade name Livostin or Livocab, depending on the region) is a selective second-generation H₁ receptor antagonist which was discovered at

Janssen Pharmaceutica Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (formerly Janssen Pharmaceuticals) is a Belgian pharmaceutical company headquartered in Beerse, Belgium, and wholly owned by Johnson & Johnson. It was founded in 1953 by Paul Janssen. In 1961, Janssen Ph ...

in 1979. It is used for allergic

conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye or Madras eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, clear layer that covers the white surface of the eye and the inner eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness ...

. As well as acting as an antihistamine, levocabastine has also subsequently been found to act as a potent and selective antagonist for the

neurotensin Neurotensin is a 13 amino acid neuropeptide that is implicated in the regulation of luteinizing hormone and prolactin release and has significant interaction with the dopaminergic system. Neurotensin was first isolated from extracts of bovine ...

receptor NTS₂, and was the first drug used to characterise the different neurotensin subtypes. This has made it a useful tool for the study of this receptor. The

pharmaceutical drug Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...

Bilina is a combination of Levocabastine,

benzalkonium chloride Benzalkonium chloride (BZK, BKC, BAK, BAC), also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC) is a type of cationic surfactant. It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. ADBACs have three main categories of use: ...

, and other components and is typically used in a 0.5 mg/ml suspension as eye-drops, dispensed in 4ml bottles for the treatment of allergic

or similar allergic ocular conditions. Another formulation is available as a

nasal spray Nasal sprays are used to deliver medications Route of administration#Local, locally in the nasal cavities or systemic administration, systemically. They are used locally for conditions such as nasal congestion and allergic rhinitis. In some sit ...

for the management of

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

References

External links

* * Belgian inventions H1 receptor antagonists Janssen Pharmaceutica Nitriles 4-Fluorophenyl compounds 4-Phenylpiperidines {{respiratory-system-drug-stub