Influence of Verapamil on Gastric Acid Secretion and Gastrin Release in Dogs

Abstract

Gastric secretion is supposed to be calcium-dependent. The effect of verapamil (0.3 mg/kg/h i.v.), a calcium channel-blocking agent, on stimulated gastric acid secretion and gastrin release was investigated in 8 mongrel dogs. Stimulation was either performed by bombesin (1.0 μg/kg/h i.v.) or by insulin (0.3 U/kg i.v.). Verapamil significantly inhibited both the bombesin- and the insulin-stimulated gastric acid secretion. Mean total gastric acid output over a 120-min period was 9.5 ± (SEM) 2.2mmol after bombesin stimulation and 6.3 ± 2.0mmol after bombesin and verapamil (p < 0.01). The respective values were 15.3 ± 2.0 mmol for insulin stimulation and 7.0 ± 1.6 mmol for insulin and verapamil (p < 0.01). There was no significant influence of verapamil on plasma gastrin concentrations. Thus, the impairment of acid secretion by verapamil is not due to an inhibition of gastrin release in intact dogs.

Influence of “calcium2+-channel blockers” on exocrine pancreatic secretion by isolated rat acini

“…In dogs, verapamil given i.v. inhibited bombesin-stimulated acid secretion [16] and in another study, verapamil was able to reverse serotonininduced jejunal secretion of water and electrolytes [29]. The authors, therefore, suggested that calcium-channel blockers might be promising as therapeutic agents in serotonin-induced intestinal secretion due to carcinoid syndrome.…”