Surgery or chemoneurolysis for complete vagal denervation of rat stomach?

This study compared the completeness of vagal denervation of the rat stomach by transection vagotomy to that by chemoneurolysis (30% ethyl alcohol) alone or supplemented by truncal vagotomy. The H+ output over 6 hr with vagotomy by chemoneurolysis (10.5 +/- 0.7 mumol, mean +/- SEM, N = 10) or truncal vagotomy and chemoneurolysis (10.9 +/- 1.1 mumol, mean +/- SEM, N = 10) was similar to that with transection vagotomy, but significantly (P less than 0.01) lower than that with truncal vagotomy by chemoneurolysis (17.9 +/- 1.1 mumol, N = 10). The latter output was similar to that of truncal vagotomy performed surgically (18.2 +/- 1.3 mumol, N = 10). Reserpine (0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneal) stimulated gastric acid secretion relative to control values (207 +/- 3.1 mumol vs 67 +/- 3.2 mumol, N = 10, P less than 0.001) and transection vagotomy, vagotomy by chemoneurolysis, or truncal vagotomy and chemoneurolysis were more effective (P less than 0.01) than truncal vagotomy performed surgically or by chemoneurolysis in preventing this stimulation. Insulin stimulated the H+ output (184 +/- 2.9 mumol vs 62 +/- 3.1 mumol, N = 10, P less than 0.001) and transection vagotomy, vagotomy by chemoneurolysis, or truncal vagotomy and chemoneurolysis were more effective (P less than 0.01) than truncal vagotomy done surgically or by chemoneurolysis in preventing this action. These results were reproducible in experiments done after three months. This investigation shows that transection vagotomy, vagotomy by chemoneurolysis, and truncal vagotomy plus chemoneurolysis are equally effective in achieving vagal denervation of the rat stomach and are superior in this respect to truncal vagotomy done surgically or by chemoneurolysis.