Methapyrilene and four related antihistamines were evaluated for their ability to cause DNA repair measured autoradiographically as unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in primary cultures of Fischer-344 rat hepatocytes. Methapyrilene failed to induce UDS at all doses tested while pyrilamine and tripelennamine induced a concentration-dependent increase in DNA repair. Doxylamine and thenyldiamine, previously untested in this system, induced a weak response at the highest non-toxic doses tested. Methapyrilene was clearly cytotoxic at doses of 100 microM and higher, as judged by morphology, and precursor incorporation into RNA and protein. Precursor incorporation into RNA was irreversibly inhibited 90% and 55% at 1000 microM and 100 microM methapyrilene, respectively, while precursor incorporation into protein was inhibited 80% and 60%. These data verify the genotoxicity of pyrilamine and tripelennamine and the failure of methapyrilene to elicit DNA repair, and suggest that doxylamine and thenyldiamine may be weak DNA-damaging agents.