Concept

Terfenadine

Résumé
Terfenadine is an antihistamine formerly used for the treatment of allergic conditions. It was brought to market by Hoechst Marion Roussel (now Sanofi) and was marketed under various brand names, including Seldane in the United States, Triludan in the United Kingdom, and Teldane in Australia. It was superseded by fexofenadine in the 1990s due to the risk of a particular type of disruption of the electrical rhythms of the heart (specifically cardiac arrhythmia caused by QT interval prolongation) and has been withdrawn from markets worldwide. Terfenadine acts as a peripherally-selective antihistamine, or antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor. It is a prodrug, generally completely metabolized to the active form fexofenadine in the liver by the enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4. Due to its near complete metabolism by the liver immediately after leaving the gut, terfenadine normally is not measurable in the plasma. Terfenadine itself, however, is cardiotoxic at higher doses, while its major active metabolite is not. Terfenadine, in addition to its antihistamine effects, also acts as a potassium channel blocker (Kv11.1 encoded by the gene hERG). Since its active metabolite is not a potassium channel blocker, no cardiotoxicity is associated with fexofenadine. Sudden toxicity is possible even after years of use without problems as a result of an interaction with other medications such as erythromycin, or foods such as grapefruit. The addition of, or a dosage increase in, these CYP3A4 inhibitors makes it harder for the body to metabolize and remove terfenadine. In larger plasma concentrations, it may lead to toxic effects on the heart's rhythm (e.g. ventricular tachycardia and torsades de pointes). Terfenadine was synthesized by chemists at Richardson–Merrell in 1973 as a potential tranquilizer. However, it was found to be inactive for such purposes as it did not cross the blood–brain barrier or enter the central nervous system. A pharmacologist known as Richard Kinsolving noticed that terfenadine showed a structural resemblance to the antihistamine diphenhydramine, so terfenadine was tested as an antihistamine.
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