[Tetracosactide (ACTH 1-24) stimulates the external pancreatic secretion by a vagal mechanism in the rat].

: The use of ACTH has been recently proposed in the therapy of the withdrawal syndrome in opiate addicts. By analogy with previous results obtained with opiates and clonidine, we looked for a possible central effect of ACTH 1-24 (tetracosactide) on the nervous pathways controlling the external pancreatic secretion in the rat. Tetracosactide displayed a central, vagally mediated, stimulant effect on the external pancreatic secretion, at variance with opiates and clonidine, which displayed central inhibitory effects in the same model. These results suggest that tetracosactide has a mechanism of action different from clonidine.