Mast cell amines and the oedema induced by zymosan and carrageenans in rats.

Cimetidine and metiamide suppressed the paw swelling induced in rats by low doses of histamine while these H2 antagonists had little effect on the oedema induced by 100 micrograms of histamine and inhibited by mepyramine. When administered 0.5 h before the inflammagens, H2 antagonists reduced the oedema induced by zymosan and iota carrageenan; they had a slight effect on the oedema induced by lambda and kappa carrageenans and no effect on the oedema induced by compound 48/80. When administered 18 h before the inflammagens, cimetidine greatly increased zymosan oedema and slightly increased lambda carrageenan oedema. Mepyramine, methysergide or depletion of the 5-hydroxytryptamine stores in mast cells by pretreatment with reserpine inhibited the oedema induced by compound 48/80 and zymosan but did not affect the oedema induced by lambda and kappa carrageenans. Histamine may play a dual role in inflammatory reactions. Mast cell amines take a part in the development of zymosan oedema though they play a minor role in the oedema induced by the carrageenans.