Drug reference

Cinnarizine

Antihistamine · Antihistamine, Antiemetic

AntihistamineAntihistamine, Antiemetic

CDSCO approved

EXCRETION

—

not curated

INTERACTIONS

—

none in our sources

PREGNANCY

—

not curated

Mechanism

Cinnarizine is an H1 receptor antagonist, acting as an inverse agonist. It exhibits membrane stabilizing activity. As a first-generation antihistamine, it penetrates the blood-brain barrier to some extent, leading to variable CNS depression depending on its affinity for central H1 receptors.

Indications

Nausea and vomitingNasal allergies (seasonal allergic rhinitis, hayfever)Vasomotor rhinitisPreventing urticariaUrticarial rashesPruritusInsect bites and stingsDrug allergiesvertigo (Méniére’s disease and other types)motion sicknessvertigo

Dosing

Adult: 25–50 mg oral
Geriatric: Use of first-generation antihistamines is potentially inappropriate due to higher toxicity and availability of safer alternatives (STOPP criteria).