Histamine antagonist
Histamine Antagonist
Histamine antagonist (pronunciation: his-ta-meen an-tag-o-nist), also known as antihistamine, is a type of medication that inhibits the action of histamine at the histamine receptors in the body.
Etymology
The term "Histamine antagonist" is derived from the Greek words "histos" meaning tissue, "amine" which is a type of organic compound, and "antagonist" which means opponent or adversary.
Function
Histamine antagonists work by blocking the histamine receptors, thus preventing histamine from binding and exerting its effects. They are commonly used to treat conditions such as allergies, hay fever, and common cold symptoms.
Types
There are two main types of histamine antagonists: H1 antagonists and H2 antagonists.
- H1 antagonists are primarily used to treat allergies and hay fever. They work by blocking the H1 histamine receptors, which are found in the smooth muscle and endothelial cells of the vascular system.
- H2 antagonists are primarily used to treat conditions related to the stomach, such as peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). They work by blocking the H2 histamine receptors, which are found in the gastric parietal cells of the stomach lining.
Related Terms
- Histamine
- Histamine receptor
- H1 antagonist
- H2 antagonist
- Allergy
- Hay fever
- Common cold
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Histamine antagonist
- Wikipedia's article - Histamine antagonist
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