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Meclizine
 
 
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Meclizine (proposed INN
International Nonproprietary Name

An International Nonproprietary Name is the official non-proprietary or generic name given to a pharmaceutical substance, as designated by the World Health Organization ....
 is meclozine) is an antihistamine
Antihistamine

An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergy....
 considered to be an antiemetic
Antiemetic

An antiemetic is a medication that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Anti-emetics are typically used to treat motion sickness and the Adverse effect of opioid analgesics, general anaesthetics and chemotherapy directed against cancer....
. It is sold under the brand names of Bonine, Bonamine, Antivert and Postafen and is most commonly used to inhibit nausea
Nausea

Nausea is the sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit....
 and vomiting
Vomiting

Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Undesired vomiting may result from many causes, ranging from gastritis or poisoning to brain tumors, or elevated intracranial pressure....
. Emesafene is a combination of meclizine (1/3rd) and pyridoxine
Pyridoxine

Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the '4' position....
 (2/3rd). An alternative to dimenhydrinate
Dimenhydrinate

Dimenhydrinate is an over-the-counter drug used to prevent nausea and motion sickness. It is marketed in Portugal as Viabom, but in prescription format....
 (Dramamine), meclizine is considered to be equally effective, but with reduced side effects.






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Meclizine (proposed INN
International Nonproprietary Name

An International Nonproprietary Name is the official non-proprietary or generic name given to a pharmaceutical substance, as designated by the World Health Organization ....
 is meclozine) is an antihistamine
Antihistamine

An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergy....
 considered to be an antiemetic
Antiemetic

An antiemetic is a medication that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Anti-emetics are typically used to treat motion sickness and the Adverse effect of opioid analgesics, general anaesthetics and chemotherapy directed against cancer....
. It is sold under the brand names of Bonine, Bonamine, Antivert and Postafen and is most commonly used to inhibit nausea
Nausea

Nausea is the sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit....
 and vomiting
Vomiting

Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Undesired vomiting may result from many causes, ranging from gastritis or poisoning to brain tumors, or elevated intracranial pressure....
. Emesafene is a combination of meclizine (1/3rd) and pyridoxine
Pyridoxine

Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the '4' position....
 (2/3rd). An alternative to dimenhydrinate
Dimenhydrinate

Dimenhydrinate is an over-the-counter drug used to prevent nausea and motion sickness. It is marketed in Portugal as Viabom, but in prescription format....
 (Dramamine), meclizine is considered to be equally effective, but with reduced side effects. Note that in Canada, Antivert (no longer available) was a combination of meclizine and nicotinic acid.

Meclizine is a first-generation antihistamine
Antihistamine

An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergy....
 of the piperazine class. It differs from the protoype of this class, cyclizine
Cyclizine

Cyclizine is an antihistamine drug used to treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness associated with motion sickness, Vertigo and post-operative following administration of general anaesthesia and opioids....
, primarily in having a 12-hour duration of action. Meclizine is less anticholinergic than many other antihistamines and other agents used for their anti-emetic and anti-pruritic effects.Along with the aforementioned efficacy against nausea and itching, meclizine also shares the anxiolytic
Anxiolytic

An anxiolytic is a Medication prescribed for the treatment of symptoms of anxiety. Some anxiolytics have been shown to be useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders as have antidepressants such as the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ....
, analgesic-sparing (potentiating), sedative
Sedative

A sedative is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement.At higher doses it may result in slurred speech, staggering gait , poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes....
, and other effects of its chemical relatives cyclizine and hydroxyzine to varying extents. Related to this is the reported ability of meclizine to potentiate the anti-spasmodic, anti-diarrhoeal, and other effects of diphenoxylate
Diphenoxylate

Diphenoxylate is an opioid agonist used for the treatment of diarrhoea that acts by slowing intestinal contractions and peristalsis allowing the body to consolidate intestinal contents and prolong transit time, thus allowing the intestines to draw moisture out of them at a normal or higher rate and therefore stop the formation of loose and l...
, loperamide
Loperamide

Loperamide, a synthetic piperidine derivative, is a medication effective against diarrhea resulting from gastroenteritis or inflammatory bowel disease....
, and difenoxin
Difenoxin

NB: A more extensive discussion of all aspects of both difenoxin and diphenoxylate can be found in the article about DiphenoxylateDifenoxin is a 4-phenylpiperidine derivative that is related to the opioid analgesic drug pethidine and more distantly related to alphaprodine and piritramide, and it is an active metabolite of the an...
.

Uses


Motion sickness

Meclizine is effective in inhibiting the symptoms of motion sickness
Motion sickness

Motion sickness or kinetosis is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement....
, such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

Vertigo

Meclizine may be effective in relieving vertigo
Vertigo (medical)

Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness, a major symptom of a balance disorder. It is the sensation of spinning or swaying while the body is actually stationary with respect to the surroundings....
 experienced as a result of inner ear infections or other conditions.

Risks of use


Drowsiness

Drowsiness may result as a side effect of taking meclizine. While the effects are less than those of dimenhydrinate
Dimenhydrinate

Dimenhydrinate is an over-the-counter drug used to prevent nausea and motion sickness. It is marketed in Portugal as Viabom, but in prescription format....
, users are advised not to operate heavy machinery while under the influence. The consumption of alcohol while under the influence of meclizine may result in additional drowsiness.

Anticholinergics

Due to its possible anticholinergic
Anticholinergic

An anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system....
 action, meclizine should be used carefully with patients who suffer from asthma
Asthma

Asthma is a common chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in which the Lung constrict, become inflammation, and are lined with excessive amounts of thickened mucus, often in response to one or more triggers....
, glaucoma
Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of ganglion cell in a characteristic pattern of optic atrophy. Raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma ....
, or an enlarged prostate gland.

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