CYPROHEPTADINE HCL

Cyproheptadine /ˌsaɪprɵˈhɛptədiːn/, sold under the brand name Periactin or Peritol, is a first-generation antihistamine with additional anticholinergic, antiserotonergic, and local anesthetic properties.

Indications

• Cyproheptadine is used to treat allergic reactions (specifically hay fever).
• Has shown effectiveness in the treatment of nightmares including nightmares related to post traumatic stress disorder..
• Has been used in the management of moderate to severe cases of serotonin syndrome, a complex of symptoms associated with the use of serotonergic drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and monoamine oxidase inhibitors), and in cases of hyperserotoninaemia resulting from a serotonin-producing carcinoid tumor.
• Can also be used as a preventive measure against migraine in children and adolescents. In Australia this is the only indication for which cyproheptadine is subsidised by the PBS.
• Can relieve SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction and drug-induced hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
• Also used in the treatment of cyclical vomiting syndrome.
• Long-term use of the drug can stimulate the appetite and may lead to weight gain, which is helpful for underweight people.
• According to a small study, cyproheptadine hydrochloride has been found to improve sleep, calmness, as well as mood and energy levels, and to improve both negative and (sometimes even) positive psychotic symptoms in a subgroup of chronic schizophrenics who do not respond (either completely or sufficiently) to other therapies.
• Cyproheptadine may improve akathisia in patients on antipsychotic medications.
• In clinical trials in which cyproheptadine was used as an adjunct to antipsychotic treatment for patients with schizophrenia, an improvement in negative symptoms was seen.