Histamine metabolism / by W.D.M. Paton.

  • Paton, William D. M.
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Histamine metabolism / by W.D.M. Paton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    International Archives of Allergy and Applied Immunology Redactores: D. Harley-London P. Kallos-Helsingborg - W. Kaufman-Bridgeport, Conn. - W. Loffler-Zurich. BAS b L (Schweiz) S. KARi; K R NEW YU R K Separatum Vol. 6, No. 416 I'rinted in Switzerland Transactions of tlie Collegium Internationale Allergologicum First Symposium in London, October 12th—16th, 1954 Paton, W. D. M.: Int. Arch. Allergy 6, 203—229, 1955. Histamine Metabolism By W. D. M. PATON From the Department of Pharmacology, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London The Metabolism of Histamine This paper will attempt to discuss the metabolism of histamine in its broadest aspects, surveying the whole life of histamine in the body. One can put four questions: 1. Where is histamine located? 2. Where does it come from? 3. How is it set free? 4. What is its fate when it is mobilized? Although we have only imperfect answers to all these questions, yet it is only when we can answer them that anything like a satis¬ factory account of the metabolism of histamine can be given. Where is the Histamine ? There have now been a good many studies on the distribution of histamine. Most of these have used the relatively crude method of taking a portion of a particular tissue, grinding it up in some acid, possibly extracting it further (to exclude other pharmacologi¬ cally active materials) neutralizing, and finally assaying on some test object such as the guinea-pig ileum. When this is done, one can describe the gross distribution of histamine somewhat in this way. First, it is present throughout the skin, sometimes in remarkably large concentration; thus in the skin of the cat’s ear (Smith, 1953) or in the tip of a mouse’s tail there may be nearly 100 jag/g. On the other hand, other areas of the skin such as the flanks, or inner aspects of limbs, may have only relatively small amounts, 2-10 juglgm. The distribution of the higher concentrations seems, in general, to be in those parts of the body, such as face and paws,