Comparative study with ranitidine and cimetidine on gastric secretion

The inihibitory effect of various doses of ranitidine and cimetidine on pentagastrin stimulated volume, acid, and pepsin secretion was studied in 8 healthy volunteers. Both compounds inhibited all three variables in a dose dependent manner with an average ID50 of approximately 5 mg for ranitidine and of approximately 41 mg for cimetidine. On a molar basis ranitidine is about 11 times more potent than cimetidine. The duration of action of both compounds appears to be equally long.