Irreversible antagonism of histamine H2 receptors in guinea-pig myocardium.

Dissociation constants and receptor reserves for histamine acting at H2 receptors in guinea-pig right atria and papillary muscles were measured using the irreversible H2 receptor antagonist L-643,441. Histamine alone was less potent in papillary muscles than in right atria, and maximum responses of papillary muscles to histamine were more susceptible to depression by L-643,441 than were maximum responses of right atria. However, dissociation constants (-log KA values) for histamine calculated using 3 different doses of L-643,441 were 0.5 log unit greater in papillary muscles than in right atria. A more marked difference was found in the estimates of receptor reserve for histamine, which appeared to be much greater in right atria than papillary muscles.