Influence of exogenous glucagon on gastric acid secretion, mucosal blood flow, and stress ulcers in the rat: Dose-response results under non-stress conditions and immobilization stress

In non-stressed rats and rats stressed by immobilization, gastric secretion (acid, pepsin), mucosal blood flow (MBF), stress ulcers as well as glucose, insulin, and glucagon in blood were studied during 8 h, with and without additional infusion of exogenous glucagon (0.2, 1.4, 9.8 µg/kg/h). Metabolic clearance of glucagon and the disappearance half-time of exogenous glucagon from blood do not differ during zero stress and stress, a fact that favors the assumption of hypersecretion of glucagon as the cause of stress hyperglucagonemia. During stress alone acid secretion (volume, acidity) and MBF are lower than during zero stress; pepsin remains unchanged. Under zero stress condition additionally administered glucagon inhibits pepsin and MBF, but not acid secretion, in a dose-dependent manner. The ulcer index increased without changing the severity of ulcers. During stress the intermediate and highest glucagon doses stimulate MBF and pepsin secretion, other variables remaining unchanged.