Periactin has been used by some doctors as an appetite stimulant to help underweight individuals gain weight. This indication has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Cyproheptadine is an antihistamine that in many ways is similar to other antihistamines with which we are more familiar. Histamine, a biochemical mediator of inflammation, works by binding to histamine receptors. The histamine receptors we usually want to inactivate in combating allergic reactions are called H1 receptors and this is the type inactivated by cyproheptadine. (There are H2 receptors but those are responsible for acid secretion in the stomach.)
Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Cyproheptadine may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.
|
