Metiamide

Metiamide is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, developed from another H2 antagonist, burimamide. It was developed by Sir James Black and his team at Smith, Kline & French in the 1970s. Metiamide is a prodrug of cimetidine. However, it was never marketed as a drug itself because it was found to cause agranulocytosis.

History

Metiamide was developed by Sir James Black and his team at Smith, Kline & French in the 1970s. It was the first H2 antagonist developed from burimamide, which was the first H2 antagonist. However, metiamide was found to cause agranulocytosis, a serious blood condition, and was never marketed as a drug itself. Instead, it was used as a prodrug to develop cimetidine, which was safer and more effective.

Pharmacology

Metiamide is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist. It works by blocking the action of histamine on the stomach cells, reducing the production of stomach acid. This makes it potentially useful for treating conditions such as peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), where stomach acid can cause damage. However, due to its side effects, it was never marketed for these uses.

Side effects

The main side effect of metiamide is agranulocytosis, a serious condition where the body's white blood cells are significantly reduced. This can lead to severe infections and can be life-threatening. This side effect was discovered during the development of metiamide, and led to its withdrawal from development as a drug.

See also

• Histamine H2-receptor antagonist
• Cimetidine
• Burimamide
• Sir James Black
• Smith, Kline & French

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