A study of gastric secretion in dogs using pilocarpine

1 Pilocarpine (40 microgram/min i.v.) stimulated acid and pepsin secretion from Heidenhain pouches but did not stimulate secretion from the innervated stomach. 2 Pilocarpine significantly increased acid secretion from the innervated main stomach after the vagal nerves were bilaterally blocked with lidocaine. 3 The effect of pilocarpine on secretion from the Heidenhain puch was depressed by ganglionic blockade (hexamethonium), by dopamine and by isoprenaline. 4 The stimulatory action of histamine on gastric secretion from either pouch or gastric fistulae was uninfluenced by dopamine. 5 The action of pilocarpine was augmented by the muscarinic ganglionic stimulant AHR 602. Considering this effect, as well as the secretory depression of isoprenaline, pilocarpine resembles pentagastrin rather than methacholine in its action.