Histamine metabolism and female sex hormones in women.

Oral combined contraceptives did not seem to alter histamine metabolism in females. During treatment with gonadotrophic hormones in four amenorrhoeic patients there was a tendency towards increasing excretion of methylhistamine (MeHi) followed by a sudden decrease corresponding to changes in the urinary estrogen. The excretion of methylimidazoleacetic acid (MeImAA) seemed to parallel that of MeHi. The findings support the hypothesis that an endogenous surge of estrogen may influence histamine turnover in women. Women of post-menopausal age have about the same histamine metabolism as younger menstruating women. Estrogen medication relieved symptoms of hot flushes or sweats but did not seem to affect the histamine turnover.