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The involvement of central histamine receptors in stress-induced responses of serum corticosterone and free fatty acids and in gastric ulcer development

Agents and Actions volume 11, pages 151–155 (1981)Cite this article

Abstract

Mild stress of restraint for 10 min at an ambient temperature of 18°C increased serum corticosterone levels in rats considerably. Histamine given intraventricularly prior to restraint alone significantly further intensified the stress-induced elevation of serum corticosterone. Dimaprit and cimetidine failed to modify corticosterone response to the mild stress. Severe stress of restraint and cold of 3 h duration increased serum corticosterone and free fatty acid levels considerably. Histamine given prior to stress exposure left the corticosterone and hyperlipaemic responses to severe stress unchanged. Dimaprit inhibited and cimetidine intensified the stress-induced hyperlipaemia. The most striking finding in the present experiment was a powerful inhibition of gastric stress ulcer generation by intraventricularly administered histamine. Dimaprit was similarly effective. This strong anti-ulcer effect of histamine was abolished by intraventricular pretreatment of rats with either H1- or H2-receptor antagonists, chloropyramine or cimetidine.

The results may suggest that in the rat a mild stress does not fully activate central histaminergic pathways involved in corticosterone responses. During severe stress histamine considerably prevents gastric ulcer generation and both H1- and H2-receptors mediate this action of histamine.

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Craców, Poland

    Jan Bugajski & Anna Gadek

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  1. Jan Bugajski
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  2. Anna Gadek
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Bugajski, J., Gadek, A. The involvement of central histamine receptors in stress-induced responses of serum corticosterone and free fatty acids and in gastric ulcer development. Agents and Actions 11, 151–155 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01991486

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01991486

Keywords

  • Histamine
  • Cimetidine
  • Corticosterone
  • Gastric Ulcer
  • Severe Stress