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Histamine and antihistamines
Histamine is a chemical messenger involved in a number of complex biological actions .
It occurs mainly in an inactive bound form in most body tissues .
When released , it interacts with specific histamine receptors on the cell surface or within a target cell to elicit changes in many different bodily functions .
Free histamine produces many powerful and varied biological actions .
The receptors on which it acts have not been isolated or identified , but their presence is inferred by the use of synthetic drugs .
Three types of pharmacological histamine receptor have been described , and they are designated as H1 , H2 , and H3 .
These effects are manifested in the redness and rash associated with histamine release , as may occur after a scratch from a blunt instrument or a bee sting .
Histamine may be released from tissue mast cells and blood basophils when the body is subjected to trauma , infection , or some drugs .
The most common circumstance in which histamine is liberated is as a result of the antibodies produced by foreign proteins .
Under extreme circumstances , the effects of histamine become pathological , leading to exaggerated responses with distressing results , as may occur in some allergic conditions .
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