The role played by histamine from enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells and mast cells in gastric acid secretion and in the development of ethanol-induced gastric lesions was studied in the rat. This was done by examining the effects of inhibition of the histamine-producing enzyme histidine decarboxylase (HDC) with α-fluoromethylhistidine (α-FMH) and the effects of degranulation of the mucosal mast cells with dexamethasone. A single dose of α-FMH (50 mg/kg p.o.) inhibited the HDC activity by 94% but did not affect histamine levels in the gastric mucosa 2 h after dose. Repeated treatment resulted in an almost complete inhibition of HDC activity and in a reduction of histamine levels by 75 %. Pentagastrin failed to stimulate acid secretion after 4 days treatment with α-FMH, whereas the acid response to histamine was unaffected in chronic gastric fistula rats. Ethanol failed to induce gastric lesions in rats pretreated for 4 days with dexamethasone whereas 4 days pretreatment with α-FMH did not influence ethanol-induced lesion formation. The present results show that histamine synthesis is required for pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion and that mucosal mast-cell histamine plays a role in the development of ethanol-induced gastric lesions.