The Effect of Histamine and Antihistamines on Body Temperature

Abstract

THE body temperature decreasing effect of histamine in dogs and guinea-pigs was first described by Dale and Laidlawl. Similar results with regard to rats were observed by several authors ; Gyermek2 described that this effect increased as the environmental temperature decreased. In contrast, Leschke3 and Smith4 reported that histamine had no temperature lowering effect on rabbits. That antihistamines also exert a body temperature decreasing effect was reported by Ambrus, Ambrus, Jacob and H a m~s o n~~~~~~* , who described such effect on mice, rats and guinea-pigs. Halpern and Briotg compared the temperature decreasing effect of 6 different antihistamines in rats, and stated that a parallelism exists between antihistaminic activity and temperature lowering effect. Ambrus, et al.lO, described antagonism between the body temperature lowering effect of certain doses of histamine and antihistamines in mice; above and below this optimal dose range, however, synergism occurred. In guinea-pigs and rats5p6 small doses of antihistamines (which in themselves did not affect body temperature) prevented the hypothermic action of histamine.This study was designed to further investigate the above phenomena ; specially to examine the effect of histamine and antihistamines on the body temperature of different species and to study the parallelism between antihistamic activity and temperature lowering effect, employing a broader spectrum of antihistamines.

The role of histamine in cutaneous antigen‐antibody reactions in the rat

“…2: groups of four rats; x ---x, histamine reactions; A---A, 48/80 reaction. structure and in their reported effects (Packman, Rossi & Harrisson, 1953). The results are shown in Table 3.…”

The Relation Between Sedation and Body Temperature in the Mouse

“…This possibility was supported by the evidence that various agents which lower body temperature, such as histamine, antihistamines, and pethidine (Packman, Rossi, and Harrisson, 1953; Dutta, 1948) also potentiate barbiturate anaesthesia (Winter, 1948;Ambrus, Ambrus, Leonard, Moser, and Harrisson, 1952;Kopera and Armitage, 1954).…”

“…Among other substances found to lower rectal temperature and prolong pentobarbitone hypnosis were 5-hydroxytryptamine, for which potentiation of barbiturate has already been reported (Shore, Silver, and Brodie, 1955), adenosinetriphosphate, which is known to lower body temperature (Green and Stoner, 1950), and promethazine, for which both properties have been described (Courvoisier et al, 1953;Packman et al, 1953;Kopera and Armitage, 1954). Doses of these agents causing a similar decrease in temperature (Fig.…”

Hypothermia produced in mice by histamine acting on the central nervous system

“…Chlorcyclizine was the antihistamine of choice since it combines potent antihistamine activity with minimal hypothermic activity (Packman et al, 1953). The experiments concerning antagonism by chlorcyclizine are of interest on several counts.…”

“…Hypothermia is produced in several mammalian species by the injection of histamine into the peripheral tissues (Packman, Rossi & Harrisson, 1953). Studies using calorimetry have indicated that this action of histamine is mediated both by a decrease in heat production and by an increase in heat loss.…”