Title:Chlorpheniramine, an Old Drug with New Potential Clinical Applications:
A Comprehensive Review of the Literature
Volume: 19
Issue: 2
Author(s): Syed A.A. Rizvi, Gustavo Ferrer, Uzzam A. Khawaja and Marcos A. Sanchez-Gonzalez*
Affiliation:
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL, USA
Keywords:
Chlorpheniramine, allergy, rhinitis, urticarial, viral infections, intranasal route.
Abstract: Chlorpheniramine Maleate (CPM), also known as chlorphenamine, is a potent alkylamine
first-generation H1 antihistamine that has been used since the 1950s. CPM is a widely popular drug
commonly used to treat allergic conditions, given its antihistamine properties. Although mainly used
in over-the-counter treatment for cough and colds, various studies discuss a wide range of CPM's clinical
uses, such as treating asthma, plasma cell gingivitis, chronic urticaria, and depression, among others.
This antihistamine is usually taken orally; however, intravenous, intramuscular, and subcutaneous
routes have been documented. Intranasal routes of this drug have recently been explored, especially
due to its antiviral properties against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Accordingly, given CPM's extensive medical and safety profile, the present review explores this versatile
drug's current and potential clinical applications. Although it is widely used mainly for treating
common colds and aforementioned allergic conditions, CPM can be used for other clinical indications.
The repurposing of CPM for other clinical indications, such as COVID-19, needs to be further explored
through more extensive studies.
