A Comparison of the Effects of Antihistamines on Platelet Function

Summary

Antihistamines are frequently given to haemophilic patients prior to replacement therapy. As these compounds have inhibitory properties against platelets, the relative effects of three commonly used antihistamines against platelets were compared. The actions of promethazine, chlorpheniramine, or mepyramine were tested against platelet aggregation induced by A.D.P., collagen, noradrenaline, and 5 hydro-xytryptamine, as well as platelet adhesiveness and the in vivo rat tail bleeding time. Overall, promethazine had the greatest inhibitory effects, mepyramine had intermediate, and chlorpheniramine least effect. It is suggested that these findings may be important when antihistamines are given to patients with intrinsic coagulation defects and that the compounds which possess the greatest inhibitory action against platelets should be avoided.

• References

• 1 Baumgartner H. R, and Born G. V. R. 1968; Effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine on platelet aggregation. Nature (London) 218: 137.
• 2 Born G. V. R, and Cross M. J. 1963; The aggregation of blood platelets. Journal of Physiology 168: 178.
• 3 Bounameaux Y. 1958; Antihistaminiques de synthese et retraction du caillot. Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et Thérapie 116 No. 1–2 252.
• 4 Forbes C. D, McNicol G. P, and Douglas A. S. 1969; Action of a pyrimido-pyrimidine compound on platelet behaviour in vitro. British Medical Journal 2: 483.
• 5 Gaarder A, Jonsen J, Laland S, Hellem A. J, and Owren P. A. 1961; Adenosine diphosphate in red cells as a factor in the adhesiveness of human blood platelets. Nature (London) 192: 531.
• 6 Goodman L. S, and Gilman A. 1965. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics,. 3rd ed.. McMillan; N. Y.: 627.
• 7 Hellem A. J. 1960 The adhesiveness of human blood platelets in vitro. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 12, Suppl. 51.
• 8 Herrmann R. G, and Frank J. D. 1966; Effect of adenosine derivatives and antihistamines on platelet aggregation. Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine 123: 654.
• 9 Hirsh J, McBride J. A, and Dacie J. V. 1966; Thromboembolism and increased platelet adhesiveness in post-splenectomy thrombocytosis. Australasian Annals of Medicine 15: 122.
• 10 Hughes J, and Lapiere Ch. M. 1964; Nouvelles recherches sur l’accolement des plaquettes aux fibres de collagene. Thrombosis et Diathesis Haemorrhagica 11: 327.
• 11 Kaneshiro M. M, Mielke C. H, Kasper C. K, and Rapaport S. I. 1969; Bleeding time after aspirin in disorders of intrinsic clotting. New England Journal of Medicine 281: 1039.
• 12 Mitchell J. R. A, and Sharp A. A. 1964; Platelet clumping in vitro. British Journal of Haematology 10: 78.
• 13 Nordoy H, and Chandler A. B. 1964; Platelet thrombosis induced by adenosine diphosphate in the rat. Scandinavian Journal of Haematology 1: 16.
• 14 O’Brien J. R. 1961; The adhesiveness of native platelets and its prevention. Journal of Clinical Pathology 14: 140.
• 15 O’Brien J. R. 1964; A comparison of platelet aggregation produced by seven compounds and a comparison of their inhibitors. Journal of Clinical Pathology 17: 275.
• 16 Pletscheb A, and Tbaistzer J. P. 1967; The action of reserpine and Imipramine on intracellular storage of 5-hydroxytryptamine in blood platelets. Experientia 23: 289.
• 17 Spaet T. H, and Lejnieks I. 1966; Studies on the mechanism whereby platelets are clumped by adenosine diphosphate. Thrombosis et Diathesis Haemorrhagica 15: 36.