Pharmacologic Substance
diphenylhydramine
Brand Names:
Acetadryl; Aldex CT; Aleve PM; Allegra Cooling Relief Anti-Itch; Allermax; Banophen; Banophen Cream; Bayer Aspirin PM Reformulated Nov 2011; Benadryl; Benadryl Allergy Plus Congestion; Benadryl Itch Stopping; Benadryl-D Allergy and Sinus; Buckley's Bedtime Formula; Calagel; Calagel Reformulated Jun 2019; Compoz; Dalay; Dermamycin; Diphedryl; Diphenhist; Diphenhist with Zinc; Doans PM; Dormin; Dytan-D; Dytan-D Chewable; Dytuss; Excedrin PM; Excedrin PM Triple Action; Genahist; Ivarest; Ivarest Maximum Strength; Kids-Eeze Allergy; Legatrin PM; Mapap PM; Motrin PM; Nytol; Panadol PM; Pediaclear Cough; Percogesic Reformulated Jan 2011; Rest Simply; Scot-Tussin Allergy; Siladryl; Simply Sleep; Sleepinal; Sleeptabs; Sominex; Somnapure; Tact; Tekral; The Itch Eraser; Twilite; Tylenol PM; Unisom Sleep; Unisom with Pain Relief; Vanamine; Vetadryl; Wal-Dryl; Wal-Dryl Allergy; Wal-Dryl Childrens; Wal-Dryl PE; Wal-Dryl-D; Wal-Dryl-D Allergy; Wal-Sleep Z; Wal-Som Maximum Strength; Z-Sleep; ZZZ Sleep; Zzzquil
May Treat:
Anxiety Disorders; Motion Sickness; Nausea; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Sneezing; Urticaria
More Information:
ChemID; DrugBank; DailyMed; PDR
Definitions related to diphenhydramine:
  • A drug used to treat allergies and relieve cough and itching caused by insect bites, sunburn, and poison oak or ivy. It is also used to treat mild Parkinson disease, to prevent and treat motion sickness, to relieve cough and cold symptoms, and as a sleep aid. It is a type of antihistamine.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A first generation antihistamine and ethanolamine with sedative and anti-allergic properties. Diphenhydramine competitively inhibits the histamine-1 (H1) receptor, thereby alleviating the symptoms caused by endogenous histamine on bronchial, capillary and gastrointestinal smooth muscles. This prevents histamine-induced bronchoconstriction, vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, and GI smooth muscle spasms.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A histamine H1 antagonist used as an antiemetic, antitussive, for dermatoses and pruritus, for hypersensitivity reactions, as a hypnotic, an antiparkinson, and as an ingredient in common cold preparations. It has some undesired antimuscarinic and sedative effects.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • (diphenylhydramine) Histamine H1 antagonist used as an antiemetic, antitussive, for dermatoses and pruritus, for hypersensitivity reactions, as a hypnotic, an antiparkinson, and as an ingredient in common cold preparations; it has some undesired antimuscarinic and sedative effects.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Diphenhydramine, synthetic drug used in the treatment of various conditions including hay fever, acute skin reactions (such as hives), contact dermatitis (such as from poison ivy), and motion sickness. Diphenhydramine counteracts the histamine reaction. Introduced into medicine in 1945 and marketed...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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