[The effect of histamine H2 receptor blockaders on the proteolytic activity in patients with ulcers]

Fifty-three patients with duodenal ulcer and chronic duodenitis and 8 normal subjects were examined for the proteolytic activity parameters in the duodenal cavity and in withdrawn duodenal contents. In 13 duodenal ulcer patients these parameters were examined before and after therapy with histadyl (histamine H2-receptor blocker). The findings evidence that intraduodenal proteolytic activity is lower in peptic ulcer than in health, whereas the digestion of protein substrate preincubated in the duodenal cavity and put into acid solution (pH 1.68) is active in the patients and absent in normal subjects. This latter parameter reduces in peptic ulcer patients under the effect of histadyl therapy.