The effects of thermal and electrical injury on pulpal histamine levels.

The present investigation was undertaken to determine possible quantitative changes in porcine pulpal histamine levels following thermal and electrical insult. Quantitative spectrophotofluorometric assays revealed a fourfold increase in pulpal histamine levels within 30 minutes of thermal injury. These findings suggest that histamine may play a role in the initial stages of pulpal inflammation. Electrical insult was found to have no significant effect on pulpal histamine contents 30 minutes after insult. The possible implications of these findings are discussed.