The present study was performed to compare the properties of ebastine--the long duration of antiallergic effect and less penetration to the CNS--with those of other H1-antihistamines. Passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction was induced and the dye leakage from the skin measured after oral administration of the various H1-antihistamines in guinea pigs. The H1-antihistamines examined inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylactic reactions, with ED50 values of 1.55-5.77 mg/kg administered orally. Evaluation at doses close to the ED50 values determined that the rank order of the various H1-antihistamines for the duration of antiallergic effects, calculated from the AUC, was as follows: ebastine>cetirizine> or =oxatomide=loratadine=epinastine. The inhibition of [3H]-mepyramine binding to the cortical membrane was examined ex vivo after oral administration of the drugs in rats. Ketotifen as a positive control of sedative antihistamine, oxatomide, cetirizine, ebastine and epinastine dose-dependently inhibited the [3H]-mepyramine binding to rat cortical membranes. However, ebastine and epinastine did not show 50% [3H]-mepyramine binding inhibition even at 100 mg/kg orally In conclusion, ebastine was shown to be a potent and long-lasting H1-antihistamine with less effect to the CNS. Consequently, in conjunction the two experimental models used in this study--passive cutaneous anaphylactic reaction in guinea pigs and ex vivo [3H]-mepyramine binding to rat cortical membrane--may be important to estimate the duration of antiallergic effects of drugs and to detect their sedative effects, which are important indicators in the development of new antiallergic drugs.