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New e-book out: Understanding Histamine Intolerance

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:13:50 +0100

Book title: Understanding histamine intolerance. A food intolerance with allergy-like symptoms.
Author: Mariska de Wild-Scholten
Description: Histamine intolerance is a food intolerance with allergy-like symptoms. Low blood pressure, headache, irregular heartbeats, irritable bowel, asthma and sleep disturbances can be (partly) caused by histamine-rich or histamine-liberating food. This book describes the symptoms, assists in diagnosis and treatment. Basic knowledge about histamine is given to help patients to understand their enemy. Typical food to be avoided is listed per country. It includes a food list with concentrations of biogenic amines, histamine liberators and medicines which must be avoided. References and abstracts to scientific literature are provided as well.
ISBN: 978-90-818991-0-9

Buy from: http://www.histamine-intolerance.info/understanding-histamine-intolerance-book.php

Susceptibility to atopic dermatitis & histamine degrading enzyme

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:06:33 +0100

Involvement of human histamine N-methyltransferase gene polymorphisms in

susceptibility to atopic dermatitis in korean children.

Lee HS, Kim SH, Kim KW, Baek JY, Park HS, Lee KE, Hong JY, Kim MN, Heo WI, Sohn

MH, Kim KE.

Department of Pediatrics and Institute of Allergy, Severance Biomedical Science

Institute, BK21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of

Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

PURPOSE: Histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) catalyzes one of two major

histamine metabolic pathways. Histamine is a mediator of pruritus in atopic

dermatitis (AD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between

HNMT polymorphisms and AD in children.

METHODS: We genotyped 763 Korean children for allelic determinants at four

polymorphic sites in the HNMT gene: -465T>C, -413C>T, 314C>T, and 939A>G.

Genotyping was performed using a TaqMan fluorogenic 5' nuclease assay. The

functional effect of the 939A>G polymorphism was analyzed.

RESULTS: Of the 763 children, 520 had eczema and 542 had atopy. Distributions of

the genotype and allele frequencies of the HNMT 314C>T polymorphism were

significantly associated with non-atopic eczema (P=0.004), and those of HNMT

939A>G were significantly associated with eczema in the atopy groups (P=0.048).

Frequency distributions of HNMT -465T>C and -413C>T were not associated with

eczema. Subjects who were AA homozygous or AG heterozygous for 939A>G showed

significantly higher immunoglobulin E levels than subjects who were GG homozygous

(P=0.009). In U937 cells, the variant genotype reporter construct had

significantly higher mRNA stability (P<0.001) and HNMT enzyme activity (P<0.001)

than the common genotype.

CONCLUSIONS: Polymorphisms in HNMT appear to confer susceptibility to AD in

Korean children.

Source: Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2012 Jan;4(1):31-6. Epub 2011 Nov 10
http://synapse.koreamed.org/Synapse/Data/PDFData/0166AAIR/aair-4-31.pdf

Histamine 50-Skin-Prick Test: A Tool to Diagnose Histamine Intolerance

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:06:06 +0100

BACKGROUND. Histamine intolerance results from an imbalance between histamine intake and degradation. In healthy persons, dietary histamine can be sufficientlymetabolized by amine oxidases, whereas persons with low amine oxidase activity are at risk of histamine toxicity. Diamine oxidase (DAO) is the key enzyme in degradation. Histamine elicits a wide range of effects. Histamine intolerance displays symptoms, such as rhinitis, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, palpitations, urticaria and pruritus. OBJECTIVE. Diagnosis of histamine intolerance until now is based on case history; neither a validated questionnaire nor a routine test is available. It was the aim of this trial to evaluate the usefullness of a prick-test for the diagnosis of histamine intolerance. METHODS. Prick-testing with 1% histamine solution and wheal size-measurement to assess the relation between the wheal in prick-test, read after 20 to 50 minutes, as sign of slowed histamine degradation as well as history and symptoms of histamine intolerance. RESULST. Besides a pretest with 17 patients with HIT we investigated 156 persons (81 with HIT, 75 controls): 64 out of 81 with histamine intolerance(HIT), but only 14 out of 75 persons from the control-group presented with a histamine wheal ≥3mmafter 50minutes (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE. Histamine-50 skin-prickt-test offers a simple tool with relevance.

Source: ISRN Allergy, volume 2011, article ID 353045 (open access article).
http://downloads.hindawi.com/isrn/allergy/2011/353045.pdf

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the diamine oxidase gene

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:23:59 +0100

BACKGROUND:  Histamine intolerance
(HIT) is associated with an excess of histamine because of an impaired function
of the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). The genetic background
of HIT is unknown yet.
METHODS:  Case-control association study of all haplotype
tagging and four previously reported DAO SNPs and one HNMT Single nucleotide
polymorphism with symptoms of HIT and DAO serum activity in 484 German
individuals including 285 patients with clinical symptoms of HIT and 199
controls.
RESULTS:  Diamine oxidase serum activity was significantly associated
with seven SNPs within the DAO gene. The minor allele at rs2052129, rs2268999,
rs10156191 and rs1049742 increased the risk for a reduced DAO activity whereas
showing a moderate protective effect at rs2071514, rs1049748 and rs2071517 in the
genotypic (P = 2.1 × 10(-8) , 7.6 × 10(-10) , 8.3 × 10(-10) , 0.009, 0.005,
0.00001, 0.006, respectively) and allelic genetic model (P = 2.5 × 10(-11) ,
5.4 × 10(-13) , 8.9 × 10(-13) , 0.00002, 0.006, 0.0003, 0.005, respectively).
Reporter gene assays at rs2052129 revealed a lower promoter activity (P = 0.016) 
of the minor allele. DAO mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of
homozygous carriers of the minor allele at rs2052129, rs2268999, rs10156191 was
lower (P = 0.002) than homozygous carriers of the major allele. Diamine oxidase
variants were not associated with the HIT phenotype per se, only with DAO
activity alone and the subgroup of HIT patients displaying a reduced DAO
activity.
CONCLUSIONS:  DAO gene variants strongly influence DAO expression and
activity but alone are not sufficient to fully effectuate the potentially
associated disease state of HIT, suggesting an interplay of genetic and
environmental factors.

Source: Allergy 13 April 2011

Biogenic Amine Contents in Selected Egyptian Fermented Foods

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:30:23 +0100

Biogenic amines in foods may pose a public health problem. Therefore, histamine, 
tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, spermine, and spermidine concentrations were
measured in selected food items commonly consumed in Egypt. Foods examined were
dairy products (blue cheese and Mesh cheese), meats (fermented and smoked cooked 
sausage), and fish (smoked and salted fermented fish [Feseekh], salted sardines, 
and anchovies). Egyptian fermented sausage had the highest concentration of total
biogenic amines (2,482 mg/kg), followed by Mesh cheese (2,118 mg/kg) and blue
cheese (2,084 mg/kg). The lowest concentration was found in smoked cooked sausage
(111 mg/kg). Histamine was found at a high level (521 mg/kg) in Feseekh, and
tyramine was highest (2,010 mg/kg) in blue cheese. These results indicate that
some traditional Egyptian foods may pose a health risk due to the concentration
of biogenic amines, especially histamine.

Source: J Food Prot. 2011 74(4): 681-685

Biogenic amines content in Spanish and French natural ciders

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:34:21 +0100

Biogenic amines (BA) are low molecular weight nitrogenous bases commonly found in
fermented foods and beverages and their consumption can induce undesirable
reactions. In this work, the BA content in natural cider from Spain and France
was determined. Samples from commercially available cider or obtained during the 
elaboration process were analyzed. A different profile and BA concentration was
observed depending on cider origin. qPCR tools developed for the quantitative
detection of BA producers from cheese and wine were tested in the cider samples. 
A good connection between the BA content and the presence of BA-producing
microorganisms was observed. Based on these tools, BA-producing bacteria were
isolated from the analyzed cider samples, including new potential histamine- and
putrescine-producing Lactobacillus paracollinoides strains.

Food Microbiology 2011 28(3: 554-61

Levels of histamine and other biogenic amines in high-quality red wines

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:57:28 +0100

Biogenic amines in wine may impair sensory wine quality and cause adverse health 
effects in susceptible individuals. In this study, histamine and other biogenic
amines were determined by HPLC after amine derivatisation to dansyl chloride
conjugates in 100 selected high-quality red wines made from seven different
cultivars. Amine levels varied considerably between different wines. The most
abundant amines were putrescine (median = 19.4 mg l(-1), range = 2.9-122),
histamine (7.2 mg l(-1), 0.5-26.9), and tyramine (3.5 mg l(-1), 1.1-10.7),
whereas lower levels were found for isoamylamine (median = 0.25 mg l(-1)),
phenylethylamine (0.16 mg l(-1)), cadaverine (0.58 mg l(-1)), spermidine (1.8 mg 
l(-1)) and tryptamine (0.06 mg l(-1)). Positive correlations were observed
between isoamylamine and phenylethylamine, and between histamine, putrescine and 
tyramine levels. Amine concentrations were similar in all wine cultivars except
Pinot noir and St. Laurent wines, which showed significantly higher tryptamine
and cadaverine levels. The results indicate that levels of histamine and other
biogenic amines may vary considerably between red wines independent of grape
variety and that high amounts can also be found in high-rated wines. Adopting a
legal histamine threshold level of 10 mg l(-1) in the European Union, as formerly
introduced in other countries, would have excluded 34% of the investigated wines 
from the market.

Source: Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2011 Feb 16:1-9

Histamine intolerance: lack of reproducibility of single symptoms by oral provocation with ...

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:52:43 +0100

OBJECTIVES: The term histamine intolerance stands for a range of symptoms

involving various effector organs after the consumption of histamine-rich food.

Our intention was to objectify and quantify histamine-associated symptoms and to

analyse whether oral administration of the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine

oxidase (DAO) caused a reduction of symptoms.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four Austrian

centres participated. Patients suspected to be histamine intolerant were

recruited. The first step consisted in the open oral provocation of these

patients with 75 mg of liquid histamine. Patients who developed symptoms were

tested in a randomised double blind crossover provocation protocol using

histamine-containing and histamine-free tea in combination with DAO capsules or

placebo. Main and secondary symptoms (strongest and weaker symptoms based on a

ten-point scale) were defined, the grand total of all symptoms of the individual

provocation steps was determined and changes in symptoms after administration of

DAO were measured.
RESULTS: Thirty nine patients reacted to the open histamine

provocation and were enrolled in the blinded part. Here, both the main and

secondary symptoms were not reproducible. Subjects reacted sometimes unexpectedly

and randomly. Regarding the total symptom scores, the differences between the

three treatment groups were statistically significant. The intake of DAO

demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of histamine-associated

symptoms compared to placebo (P = 0.014).
CONCLUSIONS: Oral provocation with 75

mg of liquid histamine failed to reproduce histamine-associated single symptoms

in many patients. One may suggest that histamine-intolerant subjects reacted with

different organs on different occasions. As a consequence, reproducibility of

single symptoms alone may not be appropriate to diagnose histamine-intolerance

whereas a global symptom score could be more appropriate. The fact, that the

intake of DAO capsules compared to placebo led to a statistically significant

reduction of total symptom scores, may indirectly point in the same direction.

Source: Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2010 Dec 20

Biogenic amine content and microbiological profile of Pecorino di Farindola cheese

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:50:11 +0100

"Pecorino di Farindola" is a traditional ewes' milk cheese produced in the Abruzzo
region (Italy) and ripened for a minimum of 90 days. The main objective of this
research was to characterize the microbiological and chemical composition of this
cheese, manufactured in ten dairy farms during the winter cheese-making season
December through March). By using classical enumeration system on specific media
variability was observed in the viable numbers of aerobic mesophilic bacteria,
enterobacteria,coagulase-negative staphylococci, yeasts, enterococci, mesophilic
and thermophilic lactobacilli, lactococci and thermophilic streptococci.
Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 resulted
to be absent in all the samples. Among compounds possibly impacting on human
health, the isomer cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), was determined
in high levels in all samples, ranging from 9.2 to 12.7 mg/g fat. Great diversity
was also found in biogenic amine contents with a relevant presence of tyramine in
all the cheeses. This work represents the first study on Pecorino di Farindola
cheese and could contribute to deepen the knowledge on its microbiological and
biochemical features, focusing on hygiene and consumer health aspects. 

Source:  Food Microbiol. 2011, 28(1): 128-36

See the Histamine Intolerance Food list for concentrations of biogenic amines in
this Pecorino cheese and other food.

Free chronic headache treatment by low histamine diet

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:50:52 +0100

http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/free-chronic-headache-treatment-by-low-histamine-diet-2616962.html