The effect of captopril on histamine release from purified rat mast cells.
OBJECTIVE
Captopril as inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme is widely used in cardiovascular therapy, however, in some patients this drug causes allergic side effects. This fact suggests that captopril may release histamine from mast cells.


METHODS
Peritoneal mast cells were obtained from rats. The cells were purified by Percoll. Aliquots of mast cells were incubated with captopril or with vehicle. Histamine was determined by the spectrofluorimetric assay.


RESULTS
The results were analyzed with the Kruskall-Wallis (ANOVA) test. The study has shown that captopril releases histamine from mast cells. The process depends on Ca2+ presence in the incubation environment. Sodium cromoglycate, as mast cell membrane stabilizer, inhibits the effect of captopril.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that allergic side effects of captopril may be linked to histamine release from mast cells.
Wawrocka-Pawlak
M
M
Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Lódź, Poland.
Dabrowski
R
R
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002216:Captopril