Miller N S, Goodwin D W, Jones F C, Pardo M P, Anand M M, Gabrielli W F, Hall T B
Department of Psychiatry, Kansas University School of Medicine, Kansas City.
J Nerv Ment Dis. 1987 Nov;175(11):661-7. doi: 10.1097/00005053-198711000-00003.
The Oriental flushing reaction is an adverse response to alcohol that appears to be genetically determined. In this study, the Oriental flushing reaction that was produced with ingestion of small amounts of alcohol was antagonized by antihistamine administration. A group of 17 subjects was tested. Each subject received placebo, diphenhydramine 50 mg (H-1 receptor antagonist), and cimetidine 300 mg (H-2 receptor antagonist) singularly and in combination. Alcohol was then administered orally. Most subjects given placebo experienced the typical flushing reaction that included a cutaneous flush, increase in skin temperature, decrease in blood pressure, increase in pulse rate and subjective symptoms such as dizziness, sleepiness, anxiety, headache, generalized weakness, and nausea. The flush, temperature and systolic hypotension were significantly blocked by the combined antihistamine administration. Cimetidine given alone blocked the flush, temperature increase, and systolic hypotension significantly more than diphenhydramine but less than the combined antihistamines. Diphenhydramine was similar to placebo in its effect on the flushing reaction. The role of histamine in the expression of tolerance to alcohol is not known. Antihistamine antagonism of the adverse flushing reaction suggests that histamine receptors may participate in the intolerance to ethanol in Orientals. Histamine may be an important protective factor in the low prevalence of alcoholism in Orientals.
东方潮红反应是一种对酒精的不良反应，似乎由基因决定。在本研究中，摄入少量酒精引发的东方潮红反应可通过给予抗组胺药得到拮抗。对一组17名受试者进行了测试。每位受试者单独及联合接受安慰剂、50毫克苯海拉明（H-1受体拮抗剂）和300毫克西咪替丁（H-2受体拮抗剂）。随后口服酒精。大多数给予安慰剂的受试者出现典型的潮红反应，包括皮肤发红、皮肤温度升高、血压下降、脉搏加快以及头晕、嗜睡、焦虑、头痛、全身无力和恶心等主观症状。联合给予抗组胺药可显著阻断潮红、体温和收缩期低血压。单独给予西咪替丁对潮红、体温升高和收缩期低血压的阻断作用明显大于苯海拉明，但小于联合使用的抗组胺药。苯海拉明对潮红反应的作用与安慰剂相似。组胺在酒精耐受性表达中的作用尚不清楚。抗组胺药对不良潮红反应的拮抗作用表明，组胺受体可能参与了东方人对乙醇的不耐受。组胺可能是东方人酒精中毒患病率较低的一个重要保护因素。
