Biomaterial Database

Use of histamine2-antagonists for the treatment of verruca vulgaris. 2007

Kathy E Fit, and Patrick C Williams

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA. kfitxx@midwestern.edu

OBJECTIVE To review the evidence for histamine2 (H2)-antagonists in the treatment of common warts. METHODS Relevant publications were identified through a systematic search of PubMed English-language literature using the MeSH terms and key words cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, nizatidine, histamine H2-antagonists, and warts. Additional articles were identified using the same key words in the Cochrane Database and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts. Systematic searches were conducted through January 2007. In addition, pertinent references from identified articles were reviewed. METHODS The literature search retrieved 21 relevant citations, excluding review articles. Five open-label studies and 7 randomized controlled clinical trials were evaluated. Cimetidine was the focus of 11 studies, and ranitidine was evaluated in 1 study. No data regarding the other H2-antagonists were found. The other retrieved citations were not evaluated due to their design (case reports or case series) and/or focus on specific wart subtypes, not common warts. RESULTS The use of H2-antagonists in the treatment of common warts is not associated with significant improvements in resolution rates. Open-label studies were promising with an estimated 48-81% response rate. However, randomized controlled trials have failed to show significant efficacy when cimetidine was compared with placebo or topical agents, and ranitidine has never been evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. Adverse effects, specifically gastrointestinal complaints, were documented. Efficacy may have been limited by inadequate dosing in some of the trials. The studies were limited by the small sample size and lack of power in a number of the trials, as well as the documented spontaneous resolution rate for warts. CONCLUSIONS Several open-label trials evaluating the use of H2-antagonists for verruca vulgaris reported high response rates, but these results have not been corroborated by more rigorous clinical trials. Current data do not support the use of H2-antagonists for the treatment of common warts.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011968	Receptors, Histamine	Cell-surface proteins that bind histamine and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behavior of cells. Histamine receptors are widespread in the central nervous system and in peripheral tissues. Three types have been recognized and designated H1, H2, and H3. They differ in pharmacology, distribution, and mode of action.	Histamine Binding Sites,Histamine Receptors,Histamine Receptor,Binding Sites, Histamine,Receptor, Histamine,Sites, Histamine Binding
D002927	Cimetidine	A histamine congener, it competitively inhibits HISTAMINE binding to HISTAMINE H2 RECEPTORS. Cimetidine has a range of pharmacological actions. It inhibits GASTRIC ACID secretion, as well as PEPSIN and GASTRIN output.	Altramet,Biomet,Biomet400,Cimetidine HCl,Cimetidine Hydrochloride,Eureceptor,Histodil,N-Cyano-N'-methyl-N''-(2-(((5-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)methyl)thio)ethyl)guanidine,SK&F-92334,SKF-92334,Tagamet,HCl, Cimetidine,Hydrochloride, Cimetidine,SK&F 92334,SK&F92334,SKF 92334,SKF92334
D006635	Histamine H2 Antagonists	Drugs that selectively bind to but do not activate histamine H2 receptors, thereby blocking the actions of histamine. Their clinically most important action is the inhibition of acid secretion in the treatment of gastrointestinal ulcers. Smooth muscle may also be affected. Some drugs in this class have strong effects in the central nervous system, but these actions are not well understood.	Antihistaminics, H2,H2 Receptor Blockader,Histamine H2 Antagonist,Histamine H2 Blocker,Histamine H2 Receptor Antagonist,Histamine H2 Receptor Antagonists,Histamine H2 Receptor Blockader,Histamine H2 Receptor Blockaders,Antagonists, Histamine H2,Blockaders, Histamine H2 Receptor,H2 Receptor Blockaders,Histamine H2 Blockers,Receptor Antagonists, Histamine H2,Receptor Blockaders, H2,Antagonist, Histamine H2,Blockader, H2 Receptor,Blockaders, H2 Receptor,Blocker, Histamine H2,Blockers, Histamine H2,H2 Antagonist, Histamine,H2 Antagonists, Histamine,H2 Antihistaminics,H2 Blocker, Histamine,H2 Blockers, Histamine,Receptor Blockader, H2
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014860	Warts	Benign epidermal proliferations or tumors; some are viral in origin.	Verruca,Verrucas,Wart
D016032	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table.	Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical