Effects of H2-receptor antagonists upon physiological acid secretory states in animals

The results reported in this paper indicate that representative H2-receptor antagonists are capable of maximally inhibiting gastric acid secretion in animals under the two general circumstances in which it occurs physiologically. Interdigestive or basal secretion was examined in chronic gastric fistula rats and food-stimulated secretion in vagally innervated, lesser curvature pouch dogs. The H2 antagonists studied and omeprazole, an inhibitor of the proton pump H+, K+-adenosine triphosphatase, also decreased pepsin secretion in rats, although not to the same maximal degree as acid secretion. Gastric emptying was increased by each H2 antagonist but only at high acid inhibitory doses. Omeprazole, in contrast, did not alter gastric emptying at a similar antisecretory dosage level. In dogs, a representative H2-receptor antagonist markedly inhibited food-stimulated acid secretion. These data suggest that the predominant effect of omeprazole and H2-receptor antagonists upon gastric function is to inhibit acid secretion and that H2-receptor antagonists may be capable of maximally inhibiting endogenous acid secretion in humans, as does omeprazole, if given under proper conditions.