The effect of pirenzepine on basal, pentagastrin- and insulin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in patients with peptic ulcer disease.

The effect of pirenzepine on basal and stimulated acid secretion was tested in five patients with peptic ulcer disease and gastric hypersecretion. Two types of stimulation were compared, namely pentagastrin by intravenous infusion (1 microgram/kg/h) and hypoglycaemia induced by insulin given subcutaneously (0.125 IU/kg). Basal acid output/30 min was reduced by 44% and 69%, respectively. Pentagastrin-stimulated acid output was reduced by 30%/120 min, and insulin-stimulated acid output by 47%. The reduction was similar during the first and second hour of stimulation in both series. These results strengthen our previous impression that pirenzepine may interfere with cholinergic receptors at the parietal cell level. As the inhibition of gastric acid secretion by pirenzepine is similar to that produced by oral doses of cimetidine, pirenzepine may be useful in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease.