© 1988 Oxford University Press
research-article |
Effect of Disodium Cromoglycate (DSCG) and Antihistamines on Postirradiation Cerebral Blood Flow and Plasma Levels of Histamine and Neurotensin1
Physiology Department, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Bethesda, Maryland 20814-5145 Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 Department of Physiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, Massachusetts 01605 Department of Biology, Tufts University Medford, Massachusetts 02155
Received March 24, 1987; accepted August 18, 1987
Effect of Disodium Cromoglycate (DSCG) and Antihistamines on Postirradiation Cerebral Blood Flow and Plasma Levels of Histamine and Neurotensin. COCKERHAM, L. G., PAUTLER, E. L., CARRAWAY, R. E., COCHRANE, D. E., AND HAMPTON, J. D. (1988). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 10, 233-242. In an attempt to elucidate mechanisms underlying the irradiation-induced decrease in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in primates, hippocampal and visual cortical blood flows of rhesus monkeys were measured by hydrogen clearance, before and after exposure to 100 Gy, whole-body, y irradiation. Systemic blood pressures were monitored simultaneously. Systemic arterial plasma histamine and neurotensin levels were determined preirradi-ation and postirradiation. Compared to control animals, the irradiated monkeys exhibited an abrupt decline in systemic blood pressure to 23% of the preirradiation level within 10 min postirradiation, falling to 12% by 60 min. A decrease in hippocampal blood flow to 32% of the preirradiation level was noted at 10 min postirradiation, followed by a slight recovery to 43% at 30 min and a decline to 23% by 60 min. The cortical blood flow for the same animals showed a steady decrease to 29% of the preirradiation levels by 60 min postirradiation. Animals given the mast cell stabilizer disodium cromoglycate and the antihistamines mepyramine and cimetidine before irradiation did not exhibit an abrupt decline in blood pressure but displayed a gradual decrease to a level 33% below preirradiation levels by 60 min postirradiation. Also, the treated, irradiated monkeys displayed rCBF values that were not significantly different from the nonirradiated controls. The plasma neurotensin levels in the irradiated animals, treated and untreated, indicated a nonsignificant postirradiation increase above control levels. However, the postirradiation plasma histamine levels in both irradiated groups showed an increase of approximately 1600% above the preirradiation levels and the postirradiation control levels. These findings implicate histamine in the postirradiation hypotension, but not necessarily in the direct responsibility for the decrease in regional cerebral blood flow seen immediately postirradiation in the primate.