Inhibition of pancreatic secretory and trophic response to caerulein by the H2-receptor antagonist ranitidine in the rat.

The effect of ranitidine (20 mg . kg-1) and cimetidine (50 mg . kg-1) on pancreatic secretory and trophic responses to caerulein (1 microgram . kg-1) was studied in the rat. Ranitidine or cimetidine were administered alone or combined with caerulein twice a day for 7 days. Saline-treated rats were used as controls. At the end of treatment animals were anesthetized and pancreatic juice was collected for 1 h after intravenous secretin plus CCK-PZ (8 U . kg-1). Afterwards rats were sacrificed and growth and composition of pancreatic tissue were determined. Compared with control (saline) values, volume of pancreatic juice and output of trypsin and amylase were increased by treatment with caerulein. Ranitidine, when given combined with caerulein, completely abolished the secretory response induced by the peptide, whereas it was totally ineffective when given alone. Cimetidine (alone or combined with caerulein) was always ineffective. Caerulein increased pancreatic weight, total pancreatic trypsin, amylase and RNA content. Here again ranitidine, combined with caerulein, abolished almost completely the trophic effect of caerulein on the pancreas, but when given alone it did not influence pancreatic growth and composition. Also in this case, cimetidine was completely inactive. These results suggest that ranitidine affects exocrine pancreas with an action independent of the H2-receptor blockade.