Effects of calcium and its antagonists on histamine-induced leakage in rat skin

Evans blue extravasation in rat skin was used to study the effects of calcium, lanthanum, L-type calcium channel blockers and trifluoperazine on histamine-induced leakage. Histamine effect was inhibited by calcium 1-2.5 mM, lanthanum 1-10 mM, nifedipine 0.1 and 1 microM and trifluoperazine 30 and 100 microM. The effects of calcium decreased progressively as its concentrations rose up to 10 mM. The association of nifedipine 0,1 microM or trifluoperazine 30 microM with calcium 3 microM increased the inhibitory effects. Calcium 10mM reversed the effect of nifedipine 0.1 microM but not that of lanthanum 1 mM or trifluoperazine 30 microM. It is proposed that the effect of calcium on histamine-induced leakage is the expression of a balance between an extracellular inhibitory effect and an intracellular enhancing effect.