Abstract: The present invention relates to an antipruritic agent comprising a nociceptine antagonist as an active ingredient. The nociceptine antagonist can be used as a preventive or remedy for diseases associated with itching (for example, atopic dermatitis and urticaria), local pruritus cutaneous caused by insect excretion and secretion, nodular prurigo, kidney dialysis, diabetes, blood disease, liver disease, kidney disease, incretion and metabolic disorder, viscera malignant tumor, hyperthyroidism, autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, neurologic disease, psychoneurosis, allergic conjunctivitis, spring catarrh, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, or itching caused by excess use of laxuries and drugs because it has excellent scratching behavior suppressing effect, that is, antiitching effect and antipruritic effect.