Clinical Effects
Histamines produce increased vascular permeability, causing fluid to escape from capillaries into tissues, which leads to the classic symptoms of an allergic reaction — a runny nose and watery eyes. Histamine also promotes angiogenesis.
Antihistamines suppress the histamine-induced wheal response (swelling) and flare response (vasodilation) by blocking the binding of histamine to its receptors on nerves, vascular smooth muscle, glandular cells, endothelium, and mast cells. They exert a competitive antagonism to histamines.
Itching and sneezing are suppressed by antihistamine blocking of H1-receptors on nasal sensory nerves.
Read more about this topic: Histamine Antagonist
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