Effect of intravenous ethanol on pancreatic secretion in the conscious rat

To study whether the secretory state of the in vivo pancreas affects its response to ethanol, we administered ethanol intravenously to conscious rats in the presence and absence of exogenous secretin. In the absence of secretin when pancreatic secretion was maintained at basal levels, intravenous ethanol produced a significant stimulation of the flow rate, bicarbonate concentration, and protein concentration. This response persisted despite elimination of gastric acid production by infusion of the H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine. In contrast, intravenous ethanol inhibited the flow rate and bicarbonate concentration when pancreatic secretion was augmented by the infusion of GIH secretin. Thus, the rat pancreas responds differently to intravenous ethanol in the basal and secretin-stimulated states. These results may account for the lack of agreement regarding the pancreatic effects of systemic ethanol.