Activity of histamine metabolizing and catabolizing enzymes during reperfusion of isolated, globally ischemic rat hearts

The plant histaminase: a promising enzyme with antioxidant properties versus histamine release in isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in rats

The present study was designed to evaluate possible protective effects of purified histaminase from Lathyrus sativus L. seedling on the myocardial injuries upon isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in rats. In this regard, blood histamine concentration, creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) activity, antioxidant status, and histopathological changes of the hearts were measured. A total of 40 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five equal groups and treated in the following order: control (normal saline), isoprenaline (isoproterenol 110 mg/kg BW), Isopren.-H1 (isoprenaline plus histaminase 80 U/kg BW), Isopren.-H2 (isoprenaline plus histaminase 120 U/kg BW), and Isopren.-H3 (isoprenaline plus histaminase 160 U/kg BW). Myocardial infarction was manifested by a significant elevation in the level of CK-MB and histopathological findings in isoprenaline group when compared to controls. In contrast, histaminase pretreatment at dose of 160 U/kg prevented isoprenaline-induced histamine release and significantly decreased CK-MB activity as well as histopathological changes in Isopren.-H3 group. A significant increase in the catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities was also observed by histaminase treatment in Isopren.-H2 and Isopren.-H3 groups. Although the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased significantly to suppress oxidative stress in isoprenaline group, it was not able to prevent lipid peroxidation (as shown by TBARS concentration) in the heart of rats. In conclusion, the plant-originated histaminase presented as a promising enzyme with antioxidant properties against histamine release and myocardial infarction in rats, and it seems be a suitable therapeutic agent for future clinical trials in humans.

Plant histaminase as an investigational drug in splanchnic artery occlusion and reperfusion

BACKGROUND

Amine oxidases are ubiquitous enzymes involved in the metabolism of biogenic amines. Copper amine oxidases catalyze the oxidative deamination of primary amine groups of several biogenic amines, such as putrescine, cadaverine and histamine.

OBJECTIVE

In the present review the effects of a plant amine oxidase (histaminase, EC1.4.3.6), purified from pea seedlings, in the prevention of splanchnic postischemic reperfusion damage are reported.

CONCLUSION

Various studies have clearly indicated that the use of histaminase will offer a good perspective for a novel therapeutic approach in the medical treatment of intestinal ischemia.

Protective effects of a plant histaminase in myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion injury in vivo

Grass pea seedling histaminase (a copper-diamine oxidase) was found to exert a significant cardioprotection against post-ischaemic reperfusion damage. Electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings from the rats subjected in vivo to ischaemia and reperfusion showed ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillations (VF) occurring in 9 out of 12 untreated rats whereas no ventricular arrhythmias were found under histaminase (80U/kg body weight) treatment (n=16 rats). Computer-assisted morphometry of the ischaemic reperfused hearts stained with nitroblue tetrazolium showed the extension of damaged myocardium (area at risk and infarct size) significantly reduced in rats treated with histaminase, in comparison with the non-treated rats, whereas no protection was found with the semicarbazide inactivated histaminase. Biochemical markers of ischaemia-reperfusion myocardial tissue damage: malonyldialdehyde (MDA), tissue calcium concentration, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and apoptosis indicator caspase-3 were significantly elevated in untreated post-ischaemic reperfused rats, but significantly reduced under histaminase protection. In conclusion, plant histaminase appears to protect hearts from ischaemia-reperfusion injury by more than one mechanism, essentially involving histamine oxidation, and possibly as reactive oxygen species scavenger, presenting good perspectives for a novel therapeutic approach in treatment of ischaemic heart pathology.

Modulation of gastrointestinal afferent sensitivity by a novel substituted benzamide (ecabapide)

The effects of ecabapide, a novel substituted benzamide compound (3-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethylcarbamoylmethyl]amino-N-methylb enzamide) that has gastrointestinal prokinetic action, were examined on the discharge of extrinsic afferent nerves supplying the stomach and jejunum in anaesthetized rats. Ecabapide (60 and 180 microg kg(-1), i.v.) had no effect on the baseline discharge of vagal gastric distension-sensitive afferents or the stimulus-response profile to gastric distension. Ecabapide also had no effect on either spontaneous jejunal mesenteric afferent nerve discharge or responses to intestinal distension. Ecabapide (180 microg kg(-1)) significantly inhibited the maximum discharge of jejunal afferents induced by cholecystokinin (CCK8; 50 pmol, i.v.), whereas it failed to inhibit the excitatory action of 2-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (2Me-5-HT; 10 microg, i.v.), a selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist. A model of acute focal intestinal ischaemia was used to evaluate the actions of ecabapide on the discharge of activated jejunal afferents. Ischaemia produced a substantial increase in afferent discharge which was reproducible when the duration of ischaemia was limited to less than 10 min and repeated every 15 min. Ecabapide at doses of 60 and 180 microg kg(-1) significantly reduced ischaemia-induced increases in afferent discharge. In addition to its therapeutic efficacy as a gastrointestinal prokinetic agent, these findings show also that ecabapide may also have an inhibitory action on the discharge of intestinal afferents activated by ischaemia.