Interaction of imidazoline alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists with histamine receptors

Because the alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists phentolamine and tolazoline are similar in structure to histamine, it is possible that the vasodilatation caused by these drugs may be due in part to stimulation of histamine receptors. The vascular effects of these agents were studied in the hindquarters of rats and the gracilis muscle of dogs. To eliminate interruption of sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone as a mechanism of vasodilatation, all animals were treated with the alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist, dibozane. After dibozane, histamine caused vasodilatation in the rat, whereas both tolazoline and phentolamine caused vasoconstriction. It is concluded that phentolamine and tolazoline do not stimulate vascular histamine receptors in the rat. In the dog, after alpha-receptor blockade, phentolamine and tolazoline caused vasodilatation, as did histamine. Responses to histamine were partially attenuated by mepyramine and greatly attenuated by the combination of mepyramine and metiamide, indicating the participation of both H1- and H2-histamine receptors. Vasodilatation caused by phentolamine was not reduced by antihistamines and does not appear to involve histamine receptors. Vasodilatation following tolazoline was blocked by metiamide but not mepyramine. It is concluded that in addition to blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors, tolazoline can cause vasodilatation by stimulation of histamine H2-receptors.