Hydroxyzine is approved to treat anxiety. What’s the mechanism that makes this work?
Can all first gen antihistamines do this?
In: Biology
Apparently (I say apparently as I just read up on it) Hydroxyzine has some antagonist affinity for serotonin, dopamine and adrenergic receptors. Meaning it can bind to these receptors and not allow their respective neurotransmitters to bind and perform their normal function.
Because these receptors are involved in anxiety response and other mood related functions, it can act as an anxiolytic. Though because its affinity (likeliness for binding to receptors) at these sites is quite weak, the effectiveness would in turn also be quite weak.
To my knowledge, first generation antihistamines don’t normally have such properties.
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