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Effect of histamine and histamine antagonists on portal blood pressure in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.
Author(s) -
ElGendi MA,
Nassar SH
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1980.tb01733.x
Subject(s) - portal hypertension , portal venous pressure , histamine , medicine , schistosomiasis , histamine receptor , vasoconstriction , histamine h2 receptor , pharmacology , endocrinology , gastroenterology , receptor , cirrhosis , immunology , antagonist , helminths
1 Histamine injection via the cannulated portal vein significantly raised the portal pressure in normal volunteers. This elevation was reversed by an H1‐receptor blocker but not an H2‐receptor blocker. When an H1‐receptor blocker was injected first followed by histamine, no significant change in portal pressure was obtained. On the other hand, an H2‐receptor blocker failed to antagonize the effect of histamine. 2 Histamine injection induced a non‐significant increase in the portal pressure in patients with schistosomal portal hypertension, but when an H1‐receptor blocker was injected a significant drop in the portal pressure was obtained. No similar effect was found after an H2‐receptor blocker injection. 3 Angiographic study showed that histamine induced intrahepatic portal vasoconstriction in the normal controls. A similar change was obtained in the schistosomal group, particularly on the periportal neovascular formation. 4 In the light of the present study, it is suggested that histamine may contribute in part to the physiopathologic changes that lead to portal hypertension in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. H1‐receptor antagonists may have a role in the treatment of portal hypertension, particularly in bleeding varices.