Characteristics of the inhibitory effect of tricyclic antidepressants on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells

Stress‐induced visceral hypersensitivity to rectal distension in rats: role of CRF and mast cells

“…Tricyclic antidepressants have been shown to benefit IBS patients 40,41 an effect which can be attributed to their high potency for the antagonistic effect on H1 and H2 receptors 42 as well as modulation of mast cell function. 43 This hypothesis has been confirmed by recent findings of Ferjan & Erjavec 44 showing that different antidepressants, clomipramine, imipramine and desipramine, inhibit histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells incubated with compound 48/80. However, the fact that the number of mast cells in stressed rats was unchanged compared to the control group is controversial to the IBS patients who presented more mast cells than healthy volunteers 38 and reinforces the view that IBS is a complex clinical syndrome with numerous factors which have to be considered in its pathogenesis; stress could be one of these factors and may act as an activator of the mast cells which proliferate after bowel infection.…”

Imipramine inhibits histamine and serotonin secretion induced by various secretagogues

“…Theoharides et al reported that amitriptyline inhibited histamine and serotonin release induced by compound 48/80 from rat mast cells [2]. Our previous results also showed that many tricyclic antidepressants have an inhibitory effect on histamine and serotonin secretion induced by compound 48/80 [3,4]. The inhibition was more pronounced in Ca 2þ -free medium [4], suggesting that Ca 2þ may play a role in this inhibitory action of the tricyclic antidepressants.…”

Impaired parasympathetic function increases susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease in a mouse model of depression

“…We were unable to determine whether DMI would confer protection in macrophage-deficient mice, as no increase in severity of colitis was seen in the op/op mouse. We are aware of the possibility that the tricyclic antidepressant may have direct antiinflammatory effects (33)(34)(35)(36), but these were not evident in our experiments. DMI had no effect on any parameter of inflammation in DSS-treated mice without depression.…”