Studies on the Histamine Releasing Effect of Bee Venom Fractions and Compound 48/80 on Skin and Lung Tissue of the Rat

Two bee venom fractions, F I and F II, obtained by gel filtration, and compound 48/80, were shown to release histamine from skin and lung tissue of the rat. F I is the phosphatidase A containing fraction, and F II contains a basic polypeptide. Dose-response relationships, the time course of the histamine release, and the influence of enzyme inhibitors were studied. The results with F II and compound 48/80 were similar, suggesting that the two substances activate the same kind of release mechanism. It is concluded that F II is not related to the earlier described bee venom polypeptides melittin and aparnin. The mode of action of phosphatidase A was distinctly different from that of F II or compound 48/80. The results are consistent with the assumption that it acts in a “non-specific.” way by hydrolysing tissue phosphatides to lyso compounds, which in turn damage the tissue.