Basal Gastric Secretion, Mucosal Blood Flow and Associated Fasting Blood Hormones in the Rat

Abstract

After vagotomy (truncal, highly selective, superselective) in rats, basal gastric secretion, gastric mucosal blood flow, associated fasting blood glucose and a variety of hormones were measured. All forms of vagotomy reduce acid (volume, acidity, output), but highly selective and superselective – though not truncal – procedures stimulate basal pepsin secretion, whereas mucosal blood flow roughly parallels acid production. Spontaneous gastric mucosal lesions increase after highly selective vagotomy. Both highly selective and superselective – but not truncal – vagotomy tend to increase plasma glucose and somatostatin, while only the former reduces insulin and glucagon. Common to all vagotomies is the development of virtually undetectable calcitonin (<25 pg/ml) and of hypergastrinemia. It is concluded that in the rat with draining gastric fistula in response to vagotomy there are moderate differences in regard to gastric mucosal ulcer index, gastric secretion, glucose, glucose-regulating hormones, while lowered calcitonin may be a general feature of low vagal tone.