Effect of Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone Upon the Gastric Secretion of Hydrochloric Acid, Pepsin and Electrolytes in the Dog

Effects of Eight-Hour Intravenous Infusions of ACTH and the Adrenocortical Steroids in Normal Man. I. Basal Gastric Secretion, and Plasma and Urinary Pepsinogen12

“…These results suggest that the effect of ACTH on viscosity was not mediated by hydrocortisone, and may have been mediated by corticosterone or by some other hormone or contaminant. A similar decrease in viscosity has been seen previously with more prolonged ACTH administration in man (15), and in dogs receiving ACTH (13). In adrenalectomized rats the viscosity of gastric juice is much increased (17), and hydrocortisone or cortisone produce a decrease of stainable mucus on the surface and in the pits of the gastric mucosa of rats (10).…”

“…As has been shown before (15,29) and again in this paper, the rise in urinary pepsinogen is not a reflection of similar changes in gastric secretion. In contrast with the findings of Gray and his associates (12,13,27,28), Kirsner and Ford (16) have recently reported that ACTH and cortisone administration over prolonged periods failed to increase gastric secretion in man, and Davenport and Chavre (30) failed to show any stimulant effects of cortisone on their in vitro preparations of mouse stomach. The present results have shown no evidence of any significant stimulation of the secretion of acid or pepsin by the infusions of ACTH, hydrocortisone or corticosterone.…”

“…Gray and his colleagues have claimed such a role for the adrenal both in acute (13) and in chronic experiments (12,27,28). In the published evidence presented by these authors many of the values for gastric juice volume, acid and pepsin are within the limits of fluctuation in the basal state, and where significant increases were noted, these were usually in the second or third week of sustained high adrenocortical activity.…”

“…Whereas some studies have shown that the administration of ACTH or of adrenocortical steroids may increase gastric acid and pepsin secretion (12)(13)(14), others have failed to show any significant increase in acid or pepsin output by the stomach during the administration of ACTH (15-17) or cortisone or hydrocortisone (18,19). Part of the confusion regarding any stimulant effect of increased adrenocortical activity stems from the use of urinary pepsinogen (uropepsin) levels as an index of gastric secretion.…”

A review of the physiology of the canine digestive tract related to the development ofin vitrosystems

“…The factors responsible for the variability between the individual dogs are unknown (Villareal et al 1955). The amount of pepsin secreted can be influenced by hormones, such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) which causes an increase in activity (Villareal et al 1955). Pepsin has an optimum activity at a pH of 2.0 maintained by gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid; its proteolytic activity decreases when chyme leaves the stomach, since it is irreversibly inactivated at neutral pH.…”