Levocabastine (trade name Livostin or Livocab, depending on the region) is a selective second-generation H₁ receptor antagonist which was discovered at

Janssen Pharmaceutica Janssen Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Beerse, Belgium, and wholly-owned by Johnson & Johnson. It was founded in 1953 by Paul Janssen. In 1961, Janssen Pharmaceuticals was purchased by New Jersey-based American ...

in 1979. It is used for allergic

conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, outermost layer of the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness, or itchiness may ...

. As well as acting as an antihistamine, levocabastine has also subsequently been found to act as a potent and selective antagonist for the

neurotensin Neurotensin is a 13 amino acid neuropeptide that is implicated in the regulation of luteinizing hormone and prolactin release and has significant interaction with the dopaminergic system. Neurotensin was first isolated from extracts of bovine ...

receptor NTS₂, and was the first drug used to characterise the different neurotensin subtypes. This has made it a useful tool for the study of this receptor. The

pharmaceutical drug A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and re ...

Bilina is a combination of Levocabastine,

benzalkonium chloride Benzalkonium chloride (BZK, BKC, BAK, BAC), also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC) and by the trade name Zephiran, is a type of cationic surfactant. It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. ADBACs hav ...

, and other components and is typically used in a 0.5 mg/ml suspension as eye-drops, dispensed in 4ml bottles for the treatment of allergic

or similar allergic ocular conditions.

References

External links

* * Belgian inventions H1 receptor antagonists Janssen Pharmaceutica Nitriles Fluoroarenes 4-Phenylpiperidines {{respiratory-system-drug-stub