Famotidine
PepcidPubChem CID 5702160 · 3D model
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Calms stomach acid by blocking the histamine signal that tells acid-producing cells to turn on, rather than shutting the acid pump down directly the way pantoprazole-type drugs do.
How it works
Famotidine works by blocking a signal called histamine from reaching receptors on the acid-making cells in the stomach. With that signal blocked, those cells produce less acid. This is an earlier step than drugs like pantoprazole and omeprazole use — those work by directly shutting down the pump that squirts the acid out, further along the process, which is why their effect lasts longer. Famotidine's blockade lets go more easily, so its effect is milder and shorter-lived by comparison.
What it’s used for
Famotidine is approved to treat stomach and duodenal ulcers, acid reflux (GERD) and the heartburn and esophagus irritation it causes, and rare conditions that cause the stomach to make too much acid. It's also used to help keep a healed duodenal ulcer from coming back.
- Mechanism
- Histamine H2-receptor antagonist
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Gastrointestinal