The effect of hexamethonium on gastric acid secretion in the conscious rat

Evidence against a role for histamine in pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion has been obtained previously using hexamethonium in gastric fistula rats. This possibility has been re-examined in conscious rats provided with gastric fistulae or Heidenhain pouches. Hexamethonium (20 mg/kg s.c.) inhibited basal acid secretion and acid secretion stimulated by histamine and pentagastrin in gastric fistula rats. The same dose of hexamethonium failed to produce a significant inhibition of acid secretion stimulated by bethanechol, pentagastrin or histamine in the presence of a low dose of bethanechol in Heidenhain pouch rats. These results provide no evidence to oppose the view that pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion in the rat is mediated at least in part through the mobilization of gastric mucosal histamine. The inhibition of secretagogue induced acid secretion in the gastric fistula rat is mainly the result of a reduction in the basal acid output.