Effects of Oleic Acid and Oleyl Alcohol on Cholecystokinin and Secretin in Plasma and Pancreatobiliary Secretion

To evaluate the importance of the terminal carboxy group of the oleic acid molecule in the release of secretin and cholecystokinin (CCK) to plasma, six normal persons were stimulated twice with duodenal perfusates containing either 20 mM oleic acid or 20 mM oleyl alcohol. Oleic acid increased the pancreatic secretion of bicarbonate and amylase and the concentrations of secretin and CCK in plasma and provoked gallbladder emptying. Oleyl alcohol only increased the amylase output slightly, but significantly. It is concluded that the carboxy group of the fat molecule has an important role in triggering the release of secretin and CCK to plasma.