Omeprazole and cimetidine versus pentagastrin in canine ex vivo gastric chamber.

The effects of acid inhibitory doses of omeprazole were compared with equieffective doses of cimetidine in the canine ex vivo stomach model (n = 30). Systemic blood pressure, temperature, stomach fluid and ion fluxes, potential difference, blood flow rates, and arterial and venous blood gases were monitored during each of nine 30-min periods. Two resting periods preceded seven periods of pentagastrin stimulation. During the last four of these, the drug effect was recorded (cimetidine 1.2 or 4.8 mumol.kg-1.h-1; omeprazole 0.3, 0.6, or 1.2 mumol/kg). Omeprazole (1.2 mumol/kg) produced 100% inhibition of stimulated acid efflux, no significant decrease in total gastric blood flow (venous outflow), 90% return of potential difference (PD) toward resting values, and a 55% reduction in stimulated oxygen consumption. Omeprazole also showed a dose-dependent K+ efflux at the two lower doses. Cimetidine (4.8 mumol.kg-1.h-1) given during pentagastrin stimulation showed a 70% decrease in total gastric blood flow, a 40% return of PD toward resting, and a 77% reduction in stimulated oxygen consumption. Neither drug showed significant changes in mucosal blood flow from resting values, thus supporting the principle that changes in gastric acid secretion and changes in blood flow are not necessarily correlated.