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This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross- over study compared inhibition by one 5 mg dose of levocetirizine with two 60 mg doses of fexofenadine se- parated by 12 h of histamine-induced wheal and are responses in 9 Caucasian and 9 Japanese healthy male volunteers. Levocetirizine was more inhibitory than fexofenadine on wheal, are and pruritus (p < 0.005). Va- riability, evaluated from the standard deviation of inhi- bition, ranged from 14% to 23.2% for levocetirizine and 65.4% to 112.4% for fexofenadine. Levocetirizine had a faster onset of action (30–90 min versus 2 h), shorter time to maximum effect (3–4 versus 3–6 h) and longer duration of action (at least 24 h versus ~12 h) than fexo- fenadine. The plasma levels of levocetirizine rose more quickly, reached higher levels, were more consistent and decreased slower than those of fexofenadine. There were no clinically signi cant ethnic differences in responsive- ness to the drugs.