diphenhydramine
UK /ˌdʌɪ.fɛnˈhʌɪ.dɹəm.iːn/ · US /ˌdaɪˌfɛnˈhaɪ.dɹəˌmiːn/ noun
Forms diphenhydramines
- noun (pharmacology) An antihistamine and anticholinergic drug that blocks the effect of histamine at H₁ receptor sites, relieving allergy symptoms. It also reduces smooth muscle contraction, increases heart rate, and sedates the user by blocking muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). “Diphenhydramine is a convenient and cheap antihistamine for use, but there are other drugs that do not make the user tired.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From diphen(yl) + (benz)hydr(yl) + -amine.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “diphenhydramine”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details