[Influence of vagotomy on gastric histamine secretion and the secretion-inhibiting effect of cimetidine].

The influence of vagotomy on histamine gastric secretion and the ability of the H2-blocker cimetidine to suppress histamine gastric secretion was examined in humans and dogs. It was established that vagotomy in humans decreased histamine acid secretion. The relative ability of cimetidine to suppress gastric secretion remained unchanged. In dogs, vagotomy increased acid rather than pepsin secretion stimulated by histamine. The inhibitory effect of cimetidine on acid secretion was more profound in dogs with an intact vagus nerve. It is suggested that vagotomy in dogs but not in humans increased endogenous histamine secretion which intensified the stimulatory effect of endogenous histamine and led to the potentiation of the inhibitory action of cimetidine on histamine acid secretion.