Comparative cutaneous histamine release by neuromuscular blocking agents

Normal values of cutaneous wheal diameter following intradermal injection of six neuromuscular blocking drugs were determined. The relative cutaneous histamine-releasing ability of each drug was derived from calculated dose-response relationships. Equipotent neuromuscular blocking doses were found to have a cutaneous histamine releasing ability relative to pancuronium (= 1) of vecuronium 1.1: suxamethonium 1.7; alcuronium 5; atracurium 52; d-tubocurarine 172. A significant (P less than 0.001) variation was found between the dose-response slopes perhaps suggesting a variation in the mechanism of histamine release.