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antihistamine
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antihistamines, including Benadryl
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Side effects of antihistamines

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Written by
C. Robin Ganellin
Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, University College, University of London. Coeditor of Frontiers in Histamine Research.
C. Robin Ganellin
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Daniel Bovet

Used in sufficiently large doses, nearly all antihistamines produce undesirable side effects; the incidence and severity of the side effects depend both on the patient and on the properties of the specific drug. The most common side effect in adults is drowsiness. Other side effects include gastrointestinal irritation, headache, blurred vision, and dryness of the mouth. A patient who does not improve after three days of treatment with antihistamines is unlikely to benefit from them. Antihistamines are readily absorbed from the alimentary tract, and most are rendered inactive by monoamine oxidase enzymes in the liver.

C. Robin Ganellin