This study was undertaken in order to determine the potential role of prejunctional histamine H3 receptors in an in vivo adrenergic model system. Frequency-dependent nictitating membrane responses were elicited by sympathetic nerve stimulation in anesthetized cats. Systemic administration of the selective histamine H3 receptor agonist, (R)-alpha-methylhistamine (R alpha MeHA) produced a dose-related depression of amplitude of the evoked nictitating membrane responses with a threshold of about 10 micrograms/kg and maximal effect (50% depression at the lowest frequency; 0.5 Hz) seen at 100-300 micrograms/kg. Responses obtained with low frequency stimulation were more sensitive to depression by R alpha MeHA than were responses evoked with higher frequencies of stimulation. Larger doses of R alpha MeHA given to the same animals, failed to produce additional inhibition. R alpha MeHA depressed the amplitude of nictitating membrane responses evoked by either pre- or postganglionic nerve stimulation to an equivalent degree. This depressant action of R alpha MeHA was antagonized by pretreatment with the specific histamine H3 antagonist, thioperamide (3 mg/kg), but not by combined pretreatment with histamine H1 and H2 blockers chlorpheniramine (300 micrograms/kg) and cimetidine (5 mg/kg). Intravenous administration of adrenaline (1-30 micrograms/kg) also produced graded nictitating membrane responses that were not altered by subsequent administration of R alpha MeHA. These results suggest that histamine H3 receptors are involved in the modulation of neurally evoked noradrenaline release in the cat nictitating membrane by an inhibitory presynaptic action.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)