Epinastine hydrochloride for atopic disease

Atopic conditions include allergic rhinitis, atopic eczema, allergic conjunctivitis and asthma. Doctors and patients can choose from a variety of antiallergy medications, testifying that no one medication will suffice to treat all symptoms and that each has a different side-effect profile. Antiallergy medications target histamine receptors, as histamine release contributes to the unpleasant symptoms of itching, tearing, runny nose and skin urticaria. The ideal antihistamine would control the symptoms of atopic disease but cause very few side effects. Traditionally, unwanted effects include drowsiness and somnolence due to CNS depression, and digestive tract problems such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and constipation or diarrhea. Some antihistamines also have anticholinergic effects that are mediated by muscarinic receptors. These atropine-like actions, which can affect the cardiovascular system, are sufficiently prominent in some drugs to be manifest during clinical usage. Epinastine hydrochloride minimally penetrates the blood/brain barrier and has almost no effect on the muscarinic receptors. This drug is marketed as having very few CNS-depressant side effects, few drug interactions and gastrointestinal side effects, and a low risk of cardiotoxicity. (C) 2004 Prous Science. All rights reserved.