Histamine receptors in the guinea-pig duodenum.

Guinea-pig duodenum contracted by histamine or by acetylcholine was relaxed dose-dependently by a series of H2-receptor selective agonists namely dimaprit, impromidine, clonidine and tolazoline. This relaxation was not neurally mediated since it was not modified by tetrodotoxin nor was it exerted through sympathetic receptors because it was not modified by pretreatment with propranolol or phentolamine. Apparently it was connected with the H2-receptor stimulation more than to peculiarities of the single compounds. However a series of H2-blocker (metiamide, cimetidine, ranitidine or oxmetidine) were unable to counteract the effect of the H2-agonists or the relaxant effect of histamine in the presence of chlorpheniramine. This peculiar situation seems to indicate the existence of anomalous H2-receptors, susceptible to the action of the agonists by not to that of the antagonists.