The effects of heparin pretreatment on plasma histamine following thermal injury in rats and cats.

An elevated plasma histamine level in response to thermal injury is demonstrated in the rat and cat. In cats, the initial elevation of plasma histamine occurred within the first 15 minutes following thermal injury, and this was followed by a second rise between 60 and 120 minutes. Heparin pretreatment markedly reduced the plasma histamine elevating effect of thermal injury in both rats and cats. This suggests that the therapeutic basis for the use of heparin in the treatment of burn shock might conceivable be attributed to its ability to interfere with the elevated histamine levels normally associated with thermal injury.