The action of histamine in oleic acid (OA)-induced injury was investigated using the isolated guinea pig lung perfused with blood-free media. OA infusion caused a significant increase in pulmonary arterial pressure, airway inspiratory pressure, lung weight, and protein flux across the alveolar-capillary barrier. These changes were dose dependent and caused injury regardless of the chemical form of OA (salt or free acid). Triolein (a neutral fat) infused at comparable emulsion particle size did not alter lung weight or bronchoalveolar lavage protein concentration in the perfused lung, suggesting that mechanical obstruction or emboli per se is not responsible for initiating early events in OA-induced injury. Infusion of OA caused a significant early histamine release into the venous effluent in the presence of aminoguanidine, a histamine catabolism inhibitor. Pretreatment with H1-receptor antagonists significantly attenuated OA-induced increase in lung weight and protein leak. These data support the link between OA-induced mast cell degranulation, histamine release, and OA-induced edema.