Rantac 150

Ranitidine is a histamine H₂-receptor antagonist that competitively inhibits the action of histamine on gastric parietal cells, thereby reducing gastric acid secretion and treating conditions such as peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.[1][2] Developed by Glaxo Laboratories as a successor to cimetidine with greater potency and fewer drug interactions, it was approved for prescription use in the United Kingdom in 1981 and the United States in 1983 under the brand name Zantac, rapidly becoming a blockbuster drug that generated peak annual sales exceeding $2 billion by the early 1990s due to its efficacy in ulcer healing and acid suppression, as demonstrated in clinical trials showing superior relapse prevention compared to placebo.[3][2] Marketed initially by prescription and later over-the-counter, ranitidine's dominance waned with the advent of proton pump inhibitors offering deeper acid suppression, though meta-analyses confirmed its effectiveness in short-term duodenal ulcer healing rates around 70-80% at four weeks.[4][5] Its legacy was marred by revelations in 2019 of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) contamination—a probable carcinogen formed via ranitidine degradation under heat and time—prompting FDA requests for manufacturer-led recalls and eventual market withdrawal in 2020, as NDMA levels exceeded acceptable intake limits (96 ng/day) in stability-tested samples, though cohort studies have not consistently linked typical use to