The stimulatory effect of forskolin on gastric acid secretion in rats

Abstract Adenylate cyclase is involved in the histamine pathway of the parietal cell. We therefore studied the effect of forskolin, a direct activator of the membrane-bound adenylate cyclase, on gastric acid secretion in anaesthetized rats. Forskolin in the range of 0.1–1 mg/kg i.v. caused a dose-dependent stimulation of acid secretion. Higher doses were not tolerated. The duration of action of the forskolin-induced acid secretion was also dose-related. The combined infusion of forskolin (0.3 mg/kg per h i.v.) and histamine at a low rate (0.5 mg/kg per h i.v.) produced a maximal stimulation of acid secretion which was comparable to that with a histamine infusion of 10 mg/kg per h i.v. without forskolin. Administration of desglugastrin at a low rate (10 μg/kg per h i.v.) plus forskolin by i.v. infusion produced similar results. In contrast, infusion of carbachol (3 μg/kg per h i.v.) together with forskolin caused only an additive effect on acid secretion. Including an isobutyl-methyl-xanthine (IBMX) i.v. injection of 3 mg/kg at the beginning of the forskolin infusion (0.3 mg/kg per h i.v.) produced an acid output after 60 min which was approximately 50% of the maximal stimulation during a histamine (10 mg/kg per h i.v.) infusion. The IBMX/forskolin-induced stimulation was completely inhibited by 0.5 mg/kg omeprazole i.v. while the equipotent antisecretory dose (during histamine stimulation) of cimetidine caused only a weak decrease in acid output.