Stimulation of Biliary Secretion by Duodenal Acidification and Secretin

Abstract

The volume and bicarbonate output of hepatic bile was observed in chronic biliary fistula dogs during intravenous infusion of varying doses of secretin or intraduodenal introduction of varying loads of acid. Secretin and acid produced a dose-related increase in bile flow and in bicarbonate output reaching a maximum at the dose of 16 units per kg per hr of secretin and 32 mEq per hr of acid. The maximal volume and bicarbonate output with secretin was about 25% higher than with acid. Closing the gastric fistula during the maximal gastric acid response to histamine or pentagastrin and thus permitting the gastric acid to pass the duodenum, resulted in the increase in bile flow and bicarbonate output comparable to that obtained with exogenous duodenal acidification.

Key-words:

• Bicarbonate
• bile
• biliary fistula
• duodenal acidification
• pentagastrin
• secretin