Effects of anaesthetic agents on gastrin-stimulated and histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the totally isolated vascularly perfused rat stomach

Background: Anaesthetic agents affect gastric acid secretion, but the mechanisms behind this action have not been fully evaluated. The enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell plays a key role in the regulation of gastric acid secretion, and anaesthetic agents have recently been described as inhibiting histamine release from the ECL cell. The present study examines the effect of anaesthetic agents on the ECL cell and on parietal cell functions. Methods: Different concentrations of urethane, pentobarbital and a mixture of fluanisone/ fantanyl/midazolam (FFM) were examined for the effect on gastrin-stimulated histamine release and acid secretion and on histamine-stimulated acid secretion in the totally isolated vascularly perfused rat stomach. The luminal acid output and histamine concentrations in venous effluents were measured by titration and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Results: Pentobarbital caused an inhibition on both histamine release and acid output in gastrin-stimulated stomachs in a concentration-depe...