This cheap over the counter antihistamine that is supposed to be none sleepy has two side effects useful to me (they may not apply to others). It is slightly sedative and it reduces urination slightly. I have started taking 10mg before bedtime. It also has anti cancer properties, see paper below.
Repurposing Cationic Amphiphilic Antihistamines for Cancer Treatment
Author links open overlay panelAnne-MarieEllegaardaChristianDehlendorffbAnna C.VindcAtulAnandaLuiseCederkvistbNikolaj H.T.Petersena1JesperNylandstedaJanStenvangcAndersMellemgaarddKellØsterlindeSørenFriisbMarjaJäätteläa
Use of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines is associated with reduced mortality among patients with non-localized cancer.
Clinically relevant concentrations of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy.
Clinically relevant concentrations of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines revert multidrug resistance.
Research Context Cationic amphiphilic drugs (CADs) induce lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cell death preferentially in cancer cells. Here, we show that antihistamines with CAD structure, i.e. astemizole, ebastine and loratadine, sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy and revert multidrug resistance even at low, clinically relevant concentrations. The significance of these experimental findings is supported by an association between CAD antihistamine use and reduced mortality among patients diagnosed with non-localized cancer, especially among those receiving concurrent chemotherapy. These findings are immediately translatable to clinical trials, as loratadine and ebastine, are safe, inexpensive and approved for clinical use.
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. In search for new NSCLC treatment options, we screened a cationic amphiphilic drug (CAD) library for cytotoxicity against NSCLC cells and identified several CAD antihistamines as inducers of lysosomal cell death. We then performed a cohort study on the effect of CAD antihistamine use on mortality of patients diagnosed with non-localized cancer in Denmark between 1995 and 2011. The use of the most commonly prescribed CAD antihistamine, loratadine, was associated with significantly reduced all-cause mortality among patients with non-localized NSCLC or any non-localized cancer when compared with use of non-CAD antihistamines and adjusted for potential confounders. Of the less frequently described CAD antihistamines, astemizole showed a similar significant association with reduced mortality as loratadine among patients with any non-localized cancer, and ebastine use showed a similar tendency. The association between CAD antihistamine use and reduced mortality was stronger among patients with records of concurrent chemotherapy than among those without such records. In line with this, sub-micromolar concentrations of loratadine, astemizole and ebastine sensitized NSCLC cells to chemotherapy and reverted multidrug resistance in NSCLC, breast and prostate cancer cells. Thus, CAD antihistamines may improve the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy.
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Graham49
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The side effects look a bit nastier for Cimetidine. I have taken Ranitidine which is a newer more powerful version, for heartburn. However since I have gone mostly plant based eating, I rarely get heartburn.
That is not my understanding of "non-localised". I was diagnosed with non-localised because it had broken through the capsule but no new cancer colonies were detected. If they had been detected it would have been diagnosed as metastised.
started taking loratidine 4 months ago when I read that article - since I have allergies anyway, switched from cetirizine - followed links I found here: canceractive.com/article/ca...
Thanks for the link. I'm not to sure about the beta blocker as a blood pressure medication though. Some observational studies have shown beta blockers to be associated with reduced survival, see paper below. ARBs (ATR blockers) Are associated with increased survival for post prostatectomy patients, which I am one. I have changed from a Calcium Channel Blocker (Amlodopine) to an ARB (Valsartan).
prostate cancer survival after radical prostatectomy in Finland—A nationwide cohort study
Conflict of interests: Teemu J Murtola: Consultant fees from Astellas and Jansen, Lecture fees from Astellas, Jansen and MSD. Other authors do not have any conflict of interests.
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Abstract
Antihypertensive (anti‐HT) drugs targeting renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone (RAA)‐ system have been associated with improved prostate cancer (PCa)‐specific survival. Challenge is that often multiple drugs are used simultaneously. We evaluated the association between use of anti‐HT drugs and PCa survival among 14,422 surgically treated Finnish PCa patients. Information on drug purchases was obtained from a national prescription database. We used Cox regression to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for risk of PCa death and initiation of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with adjustment for age, tumor extent, use of statins and for Charlson Comorbidity Index. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE)‐ inhibitors, angiotensin‐ receptor (ATR)‐blockers, diuretics, calcium‐channel blockers, beta‐blockers and other anti‐HT drugs were analyzed as separate time‐dependent variables to model simultaneous use. Overall anti‐HT drugs were associated with an increased risk of PCa death. Conversely use of ATR‐blockers was associated with decreased risk of PCa death (HR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.26–0.72 and HR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.37–0.97 for pre‐ and post‐diagnostic use). Similar risk decrease was not observed in other drug groups. Anti‐HT drugs were also associated with an increased risk of starting ADT, with the exception of ATR‐blockers (HR: 0.81 CI:0.71–0.92). ATR‐ blockers differ from other anti‐HT drugs as the survival is better in users of this drug group. The result partly supports the role of RAA system in PCa progression. Nevertheless, the risk decrease was not observed in ACE‐inhibitor users. Further research is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanism for the potential anticancer effect of ATR‐ blockers.
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