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Alcohol and Alcoholism, Vol 34, 141-147, Copyright © 1999 by Medical Council on Alcoholism

ARTICLES

Invited review. Alcohol-histamine interactions

S Zimatkin and O Anichtchik
Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Grodno, Belarus; Department of Biology, Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; Corresponding author at: Grodno State Medical Institute, 80 Gorkogo Street, Grodno, 230015, Belarus

Alcohol and histamine metabolic pathways in the body have the common enzymes aldehyde dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase. The metabolite of ethanol, acetaldehyde, can effectively compete with the metabolites of histamine, methylimidazole acetaldehyde, and imidazole acetaldehyde. At the periphery, alcohol and acetaldehyde liberate histamine from its store in mast cells and depress histamine elimination by inhibiting diamine oxidase, resulting in elevated histamine levels in tissues. Histamine mediate alcohol-induced gastric and intestinal damage and bronchial asthma as well as flushing in Orientals. On the other hand, alcohol provokes food-induced histaminosis and histamine intolerance, which is an epidemiological problem. There are many controversial reports concerning the effect of H2 receptor antagonists on ethanol metabolism and the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase in the stomach. In addition, alcohol affects histamine levels in the brain by modulating histamine synthesis release, and turnover. Histamine receptor antagonists can affect ethanol metabolism and change the sensitivity of animals to the hypnotic effects of alcohol. In contrast to other neurotransmitters, the involvement of the brain histamine system in the mechanisms of the central actions of alcohol and in the pathogenesis of alcoholism is poorly studied and understood.
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 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
L. Maintz, V. Schwarzer, T. Bieber, K. van der Ven, and N. Novak
Effects of histamine and diamine oxidase activities on pregnancy: a critical review
Hum. Reprod. Update, September 1, 2008; 14(5): 485 - 495.
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