Main Ingredient in Benadryl Could Relieve PTSD
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Could Benadryl treat post traumatic stress disorder? It’s not as far-fetched as it seems.
Geneticists at the University of Basel, Switzerland studied genomes of 2,500 healthy young volunteers to find gene traits common in people with negative memories.
After whittling down the group to 40, the geneticists investigated drugs that could possibly manipulate this trait. What they finally came up with was diphenhydramine — the antihistamine in Benadryl — managed to reduce the participants’ negative memories. Meanwhile, diphenhydramine did not affect positive or neutral memories in the participants.
Naturally, more research will be necessary to determine if the antihistamine will truly benefit those with PTSD. If all goes well, this could lead scientists to developing memory-enhancing drugs.
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