title: Role of central histaminergic mechanism in behavioural depression (swimming despair) in mice.
abstract: The role of the central histaminergic system in depression was studied by using swimming despair test in mice - a behavioural model of depression. In this test, immobility of mice reflects a state of depression. Intracerebral (ic) injection of histamine (50-200 micrograms) increased significantly the immobility. The H1-receptor blocker mepyramine (2.5-20 mg/kg ip) had no effect while H2-receptor blocker cimetidine (100-200 micrograms ic) caused a significant decrease in immobility. The histamine induced facilitation was blocked completely by cimetidine and antidepressant drugs-imipramine and desipramine, but remained unaffected in mice pretreated with mepyramine or atropine. The H2 agonist impromidine (20-40 micrograms ic) also enhanced significantly, the immobility which was blocked by cimetidine and antidepressant drugs. It has been concluded that central H2-receptors facilitate depression and antidepressant drugs block central H2-receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, K.G.'s Medical College, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nath
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulati
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Dhawan
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006632:Histamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017446:Impromidine; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011738:Pyrilamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011970:Receptors, Histamine H2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D011970:Receptors, Histamine H2; D001285:Atropine; D002927:Cimetidine; D006632:Histamine; D017446:Impromidine; D011738:Pyrilamine; D007099:Imipramine; D003891:Desipramine