Objective: To determine the effect of histamine on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) induced neuron death and to elucidate its mechanism.
Methods: The primary cortical cell culture was adopted. Neuron morphology and MTT assay were used to evaluate the drugs effects.
Result: Histamine at doses of 10(-4) 10(-6) 10(-7) 10(-8) mol/L reversed the neuron death induced by NMDA (50 micromol/L) for 3 h. The protection of histamine peaked at doses of 10(-4) mol/L and 10(-7)mol/L. The effect of histamine of 10(-7) mol/L was reversed only by cimetidine an H(2)receptor antagonist. However, the effect of histamine of 10(-4) mol/L was reversed only by pyrilamine but not cimetidine.
Conclusion: Histamine could reduce neuron death induced by NMDA; its protection at a low dose might be mediated by H(2)receptor, and at a high dose by H(1)receptor.