Temporal responses of cutaneous blood flow and plasma catecholamine concentrations to histamine H1- or H2-receptor stimulation in man.

We have studied the effect of histamine and H1- or H2-receptor antagonists on cutaneous blood flow and catecholamine release in man. Histamine was infused alone or in combination with mepyramine, an H1-antagonist or cimetidine, an H2-antagonist for 2 h. Cutaneous blood flow was measured continuously with a laser Doppler flowmeter, and noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations were determined in blood samples drawn every 15 min. The infusion of histamine caused an immediate and sustained vasodilatation. The Concomitant infusion of mepyramine prevented the immediate vasodilatation, but had no effect on the sustained response. The Concomitant infusion of cimetidine was without effect on the immediate vasodilatation, but abolished the sustained response. Infusion of the antagonists alone had no effect on cutaneous blood flow. Histamine caused a rapid and sustained increase in plasma noradrenaline, while the increase during concomitant H1-receptor blockade was delayed but achieved the level observed during the histamine infusion. The response to histamine during H2-receptor blockade was small and transient. The rise in plasma adrenaline was not significant. These findings suggest that histamine causes an immediate cutaneous vasodilatation through H1-receptors and a more sustained response through H2-receptors. The vasodilatation is accompanied by an increase in plasma catecholamine concentrations. Despite the continuous infusion of histamine, blood flow decreased during the last hour of histamine infusion, while the plasma noradrenaline concentration was still elevated.