Food Intolerance: The Role of Histamine

Histamine is a natural amine derived from L-histidine. Although it seems that our knowledge about this molecule is wide and diverse, the importance of histamine in many regulatory processes is still enigmatic. The interplay between different types of histamine receptors and the compound may cause ample effects, including histamine intoxication and so-called histamine intolerance or non-allergic food intolerance, leading to disturbances in immune regulation, manifestation of gastroenterological symptoms, and neurological diseases. Most cases of clinical manifestations of histamine intolerance are non-specific due to tissue-specific distribution of different histamine receptors and the lack of reproducible and reliable diagnostic markers. The diagnosis of histamine intolerance is fraught with difficulties, in addition to challenges related to the selection of a proper treatment strategy, the regular course of recovery, and reduced amelioration of chronic symptoms due to inappropriate treatment prescription. Here, we reviewed a history of histamine uptake starting from the current knowledge about its degradation and the prevalence of histamine precursors in daily food, and continuing with the receptor interactions after entering and the impacts on the immune, central nervous, and gastrointestinal systems. The purpose of this review is to build an extraordinarily specific method of histamine cycle assessment in regard to non-allergic intolerance and its possible dire consequences that can be suffered.

Glucagon Effects on3H-Histamine Uptake by the Isolated Guinea-Pig Heart during Anaphylaxis

We estimated the influence of acute glucagon applications on3H-histamine uptake by the isolated guinea-pig heart, during a single3H-histamine passage through the coronary circulation, before and during anaphylaxis, and the influence of glucagon on level of histamine, NO,O2-, and H2O2in the venous effluent during anaphylaxis. Before anaphylaxis, glucagon pretreatment does not change3H-histamine Umax and the level of endogenous histamine. At the same time, in the presence of glucagon,3H-histamine Unet is increased and backflux is decreased when compared to the corresponding values in the absence of glucagon. During anaphylaxis, in the presence of glucagon, the values of3H-histamine Umax and Unet are significantly higher and backflux is significantly lower in the presence of glucagon when compared to the corresponding values in the absence of glucagon. The level of endogenous histamine during anaphylaxis in the presence of glucagon (6.9–7.38 × 10−8 μM) is significantly lower than the histamine level in the absence of glucagon (10.35–10.45 × 10−8 μM). Glucagon pretreatment leads to a significant increase in NO release (5.69 nmol/mL) in comparison with the period before glucagon administration (2.49 nmol/mL). Then, in the presence of glucagon,O2-level fails to increase during anaphylaxis. Also, our results show no significant differences in H2O2levels before, during, and after anaphylaxis in the presence of glucagon, but these values are significantly lower than the corresponding values in the absence of glucagon. In conclusion, our results show that glucagon increases NO release and prevents the increased release of free radicals during anaphylaxis, and decreases histamine level in the venous effluent during cardiac anaphylaxis, which may be a consequence of decreased histamine release and/or intensified histamine capturing by the heart during anaphylaxis.