Potentiation by Adrenaline of Protective Effect of Cortisone on Histamine Toxicity in Adrenalectomized Mice

Abstract

Adrenalectomy renders mice considerably more sensitive to histamine, decreasing the lethal dose from approx. 50 mg. per 20 g. to 0.5 mg. per 20 g. 20 [mu]g. epinephrine per 20 c. injd. subcut. 30 minutes prior to histamine elevates tolerance of adrenalec-tomized mice to 5 mg. histamine. 0.5 mg. cortisone per 20 g. injected subcut. for 3 doses elevates tolerance of adrenalectomized mice to 2.5 mg. histamine. Admn. of both epinephrine and cortisone elevates tolerance of adrenalectomized mice to that of normal animals, but similar admn. to normal mice does not elevate their tolerance beyond that of the normal. Observations on the hemoconcentration produced by histamine in the adrenalectomized mice and in the adrenalectomized mice pretreated with epinephrine and cortisone indicate that the protective effect exhibited by this treatment is due to its reduction of the angiotoxic effect of histamine.