The Effect of Vagal Block or Hexamethonium on Gastric Secretion in the Dog

Abstract

Because of relevance to the operation of vagotomy in man, and to ‘medical vagotomy’ tests attempting to forecast the results of surgery, we have made a study in the dog of the effects of (1) blocking the vagus nerves with local anaesthetic and (2) injecting intravenously a ganglion-blocking drug. Gastric secretion was stimulated with both high and low doses of histamine and gastrin in dogs equipped with either a Heidenhain or a Pavlov pouch. Although the blocking procedures abolished acid and pepsin secretion caused by a pure vagal stimulant (2-deoxy-D-glucose) they had less effect against gastrin, and still less against histamine. The implications of these results are discussed.

Key-words:

• Stomach
• gastric juice
• anticholinergic drugs
• gastrin
• histamine
• hydrochloric acid determination
• pepsin