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Imipramine Can Block Human Cardiac H 1 -Histamine Receptors.

Thanh Hoai Pham¹, Britt Hofmann², Jonas M A Schlicht¹

¹Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.

Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology

|July 7, 2026

Summary

Imipramine, an antidepressant, was found to antagonize histamine H1 receptor effects on heart contraction. This finding in mice and human heart tissue may explain cardiac side effects of imipramine.

Keywords:

heart histamine inotropy

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Area of Science:

Pharmacology
Cardiology
Neuroscience

Background:

Imipramine is a widely used antidepressant affecting noradrenaline and serotonin.
Imipramine exhibits high-affinity binding to histamine H1 receptors.
Histamine H1 receptor stimulation increases cardiac contractility.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if imipramine antagonizes histamine H1 receptor-mediated positive inotropic effects in the heart.
To determine the effect of imipramine on H1-histamine receptor stimulation in genetically modified mice and human atrial tissue.

Main Methods:

Utilized genetically modified mice overexpressing the human H1-histamine receptor (H1-TG).
Studied human right atrial muscle preparations from cardiac surgery patients.
Administered imipramine and observed its effect on H1-histamine receptor agonist-induced contractions.

Main Results:

Imipramine reduced force of contraction in H1-TG mouse atria starting at 100 nM.
Imipramine antagonized H1-histamine receptor stimulation effects in human atrial preparations starting at 300 nM.
These effects were consistent with imipramine's interaction with H1-histamine receptors.

Conclusions:

Imipramine antagonizes H1-histamine receptor-mediated positive inotropic effects in mammalian atria.
Imipramine's action on the human atrium suggests a mechanism for observed cardiac side effects.
This study links antidepressant action to cardiac histamine receptor modulation.