Antihistamines have mild antiemetic activity and are commonly used for motion sickness and the transient nausea that might accompany a viral illness, gastrointestinal infection, or disorder. Antihistamines commonly used for nausea include cyclizine, chlorcyclizine, diphenhydramine, dimenhydrinate, doxylamine, meclizine, hydroxyzine, and promethazine. (LiverTox, 2018)
Meclizine is a medication used to manage and treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness caused by motion sickness and vertigo. Meclizine belongs to a drug class called antihistamines, often used to treat allergies. (Houston et al., 2021) Meclizine is a first-generation antihistamine used largely to treat vertigo and motion sickness. Meclizine has not been linked to instances of clinically apparent acute liver injury. (LiverTox, 2017)
Meclizine, one of the most available prescription-free motion sickness pills, is an antihistaminergic H1-antagonist. The drug is described as having a good effect against motion sickness through vestibular modulation, even though the efficacy of this mechanism has come into question. The drug is to be used as motion-sickness prevention, reaching its full effect 2 hours after ingestion. (Wibble et al., 2020)
Houston BT, Chowdhury YS. Meclizine. 2021 Dec 14. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 32809480.
LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012–. Meclizine. 2017 Jan 16. PMID: 31643231.
LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012–. Antiemetic Agents. 2018 Jan 15. PMID: 31643401.
Wibble T, Engström J, Verrecchia L, Pansell T. The effects of meclizine on motion sickness revisited. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2020 Aug;86(8):1510-1518. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14257. Epub 2020 Mar 3. PMID: 32077140; PMCID: PMC7373708.