The effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on adenosine triphosphate content and histamine release from rat peritoneal cell suspensions rich in mast cells.

1 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) suppressed compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. 2 NSAID suppressed the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of rat peritoneal cells in vitro and this correlated strongly with the suppression of compound 48/80-induced histamine release. 3 The correlation demonstrated suggests that the mechanism of action of NSAID in the rat peritoneal cells is via depletion of cellular ATP.