Abstract
Experimental and epidemiological studies have indicated that central histaminergic
neuron system plays an important role in inhibition of convulsive disorders through
histamine H1-receptors, especially in developing period. Histamine H1 antagonists increase the duration of electrically induced convulsions in 21-day-old
mice, but not in 42-day-old mice. Epidemiological studies suggested that histamine
H1 antagonist may be one of the risk factors in febrile convulsions. In histidinemic
patients who were considered to have high brain histamine content, the incidence of
convulsions was lower than that of ordinary population.
The centrally acting histamine H1 antagonists including pyrilamine and ketotifen facilitate the development of amygdaloid
kindling in rats, an experimental model of epileptogenic process. On the contrary,
epinastine, a histamine H1 antagonist which scarcely enters the brain, shows no facilitation. These findings
suggest that the central histaminergic neuron system plays an inhibitory role on the
seizure development through central histamine H1-receptors.
Recently, three cases has been reported in which West syndrome developed 8–10 days
after ketotifen or oxatomide administration. Considering experimental and clinical
studies, histamine H1 antagonists may be associated with West syndrome and may be hazardous to infants.
Further careful experimental and clinical studies will be required to elucidate the
relationships between West syndrome and central histaminergic neuron system.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 8,
2001
Received in revised form:
August 5,
2001
Received:
July 19,
2000
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
