Ethanol-induced alterations in histamine content and release in the rat hypothalamus.

In the rat hypothalamus, histamine content and histidine decarboxylas: activity are enhanced significantly after acute administration (80--160 mg/100g body weight) of ethanol. The effects are less pronounced after chronic treatment (15% v/v in drinking water for 4 weeks). Histamine methyltransferase is unaffected in either case. In hypothalamic slices preloaded with 3H-histamine and superfused with amine free solution the basal and K+-induced efflux of 3H-histamine are inhibited by alcohol. The inhibition of histamine release along with the increased levels of histamine may play an important role in the central effects of alcohol.