Release of secretin by licorice extract in dogs

To determine the effect of a fraction of licorice extract, FM100, on the endogenous release of secretin and exocrine pancreatic secretion, five dogs were prepared with chronic pancreatic fistulas and gastric cannulas. Intraduodenal administration of licorice extract (pH 7.4) in three different doses (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g) resulted in significant increases of both plasma secretin concentrations and pancreatic bicarbonate secretion in a dose-related manner. The plasma secretin concentration and pancreatic bicarbonate output produced by licorice extract correlated well. Intragastric administration of licorice extract (2 g) in 5% liver extract meal (in which pH was maintained at 5.5 by the intragastric titration method) resulted in significant increases of both plasma secretin concentration and pancreatic bicarbonate output. The increase in pancreatic bicarbonate secretion was completely abolished by intravenous infusion of a rabbit antisecretin serum in the two dogs so studied. Thus, the present study indicates that the endogenous release of secretion is involved in a mechanism of an increase in exocrine pancreatic secretin induced by FM100.