Anti-ulcer drugs and intrinsic factor secretion

Twelve healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to take two of the following treatments; cimetidine, misoprostol (a prostaglandin E1 analogue) and carbenoxolone, for two weeks. A further four subjects took ranitidine. Gastric aspirates were collected before and on the 14th day of therapy for each drug, and analysed for intrinsic factor concentration and total output. Both randitine and cimetidine inhibited pentagastrin stimulated output by 47% and 27% respectively in comparison to control, but had no effect on stimulated mean intrinsic factor concentrations. No changes were observed with misoprostol and carbenoxolone treatment.