In vitro peripheral airway constriction to honey bee venom in cat

Isolated lung parenchymal strips (peripheral airways) of cats responded to histamine, carbachol, 5-HT, bradykinin and honey bee-venom with concentration-dependent contractions. Atropine, mepyramine and methysergide inhibited or reversed contractions to carbachol, histamine and 5-HT respectively. Atropine, methysergide and indomethacin did not influence contractions to honey bee venom. High doses of mepyramine (H1-antagonist) inhibited or reversed the bee venom-induced contractions. These observations suggest that honey bee venom may be constricting cat peripheral airways by releasing endogenous histamine from the lung mast cells. Aceylcholine, 5-HY and prostaglandins appear to play little or no important role in the peripheral airway constrictions to honey bee venom in cat.