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Review
. 2025 Apr 12;17(4):e82132.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.82132. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Bacterial Histamine as a Therapeutic Target for Abdominal Pain in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Literature Review

Hashim Mohamed Siraj  1 , Mohammed Usaid  1 , Saqib Shaikh  2 , Mujahed Dalain  3 , Yasmin Ansari  1 , Samreen Zehra Naqvi  1 , Raunak Hossain  1 , Huda Anum  4 , Catherine Andrews Ravi  1 , Nivedita Pant  5 , Mihir Awasarikar  6 , Kainat Husain  7 , Anushka Anand Hanchate  8 , Aswija Sagam  9 , Anand Balasubramanian  10
Affiliations
Review

Bacterial Histamine as a Therapeutic Target for Abdominal Pain in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Literature Review

Hashim Mohamed Siraj et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and discomfort. This narrative review explores the current understanding of IBS pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment, with a focus on the role of histamine in gastrointestinal disorders. The review summarizes the existing literature from electronic databases and manual searches. Key topics covered include the diagnostic criteria for IBS, mechanisms underlying abdominal pain, role of histamine in gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity, and immune system dysregulation, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in IBS management. The narrative synthesis of findings provides insights into the complex interplay between gut microbiota, histamine production, and IBS symptomatology. Overall, this review underscores the need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying IBS and histamine-related gastrointestinal disorders, with the ultimate goal of developing tailored therapeutic interventions for individuals affected by these conditions.

Keywords: abdominal pain; gut microbiota; histamine; irritable bowel syndrome; visceral hyperalgesia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

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