The new H1-receptor antagonist BW 825C and triprolidine (2.5 and 5 mg) were administered to 12 healthy male volunteers in a double blind placebo controlled, balanced, crossover design. Histamine antagonism was measured by assessment of flare and weal areas after intradermal injection of histamine. The 2 compounds were approximately equipotent in blocking the flare and weal response to intradermal histamine and had a similar duration of action. Triprolidine impaired performance of vigilance and reaction time (p less than 0.05) compared with placebo while BW 825C did not. Drowsiness measured using visual analogue scales followed both triprolidine treatments, but not BW 825C. BW 825C had a plasma half-life (t1/2) of 1.7 +/- 0.2 h and triprolidine of 4.6 +/- 4.3 h. The peak plasma level of BW 825C was approximately 6 times that of triprolidine. It was concluded that BW 825C might be a clinically active H1-antagonist with reduced sedative side-effects.