The effect of pirenzepine on meal-stimulated gastric acid secretion, gastrin release and gastric emptying.

Pirenzepine is a new antimuscarinic drug with a peculiar affinity for gastric parietal cells' acetylcholine receptors. Previously it has been shown that the drug effectively inhibits both basal and gastric acid secretion stimulated by several secretagogues. The aim of the present work has been to evaluate, in double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized studies on 6 male patients, the effect of pirenzepine (50 mgs orally) on gastric secretion stimulated by peptone meal, gastric emptying and gastrin release. The results show a significant decrease of gastric secretion (48 per cent in the 1st and 30 per cent in the 2nd hour) without any effect on gastric emptying and gastrin release.