Chemical determination of histamine in blood in health and disease

Abstract

H ISTAMINE, isolated by Barger and Dale’ in 1910, was first studied under normal and pathologic conditions by Dale and Laidlaw.* The relationship of histamine and a histamine-like (“H”) substance to anaphylaxis and allergy has been investigated by means of a bio-assay method for quantitative assay developed in 1935 by Barsoum and Gaddum.” Release of histamine has been observed in connection with antigen-antibody reactions and in conditions resulting in tissue breakdown. The question whether or not histamine is a factor in rheumatic fever seemed to be of interest because it has been postulated that this disease may be allergic in nature.4 This assumption is based mostly upon analogies with serum sickness” and studies on experimental animals.‘j The blood histamine level of nonallergic individuals in health, studied by bio-assay, was found to be remarkably stable,’ having a range from 2 to 7 gamma per cent. Determinations of blood histamine by bio-assay in patients with various allergic conditions yielded conflicting results. In asthma, increases during attacks were noted by some observer+ but not by others.g An age factor was mentioned by RoselO who found the blood histamine of 15 adult asthmatic patients to be within normal limits while 10 of 15 juveniles of less than 16 years of age had elevated levels. During acute attacks of urticaria, high blood histamine was reported8” but not confirmedl”; elevated levels in 7 of 11 patients with eczema were noted.‘O No reports on blood histamine levels of patients with rheumatic fever were published, as far as could be ascertained.