Effect of histamine on the permeability of the nasal mucosa in vivo.
OBJECTIVE
Histamine is one of the chemical mediators released during the acute phase of allergic rhinitis and is considered to cause the increase in epithelial permeability observed. We tried to examine the effect of histamine on nasal mucosal permeability in vivo.


METHODS
Histamine at different concentrations was administered to the nostrils of healthy subjects and the nasal transepithelial potential difference (PD) was measured. We also examined nasal mucosal permeability by means of a histochemical technique using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in guinea pigs.


RESULTS
Administration of 10(-1) M histamine significantly reduced the nasal PD in healthy subjects. After administration of 5.4 x 10(-1) M histamine to the noses of guinea pigs, most ofthe intercellular spaces showed positive reactions to HRP and this effect was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with mepyramine and the antihistamine bepotastine besilate.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that histamine plays an important role in the change in mucosal permeability observed in allergic rhinitis in vivo via the histamine H1 receptor.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Tian-Qun
TQ
Yang
Kazuhiko
K
Takeuchi
Shuichiro
S
Hayashi
Yuichi
Y
Majima
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011738:Pyrilamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000378:metabolism*
D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1; D006632:Histamine; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D011738:Pyrilamine