The Effect of a Synthetic Met-Enkephalin Analogue (Fk 33–824) On Gastric Acid Secretion and Serum Gastrin in Man

Abstract

A synthetic met-enkephalin analogue was infused into seven healthy human subjects on a background infusion of pentagastrin to study the effect on gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin concentration. Gastric acid secretion rose from 4.2 meq H⁺/15 min to 7.8 meq H⁺/15 min during infusion of met-enkephalin, 0.1 μg/h. Met-enkephalin in a dose of 1 μg/kg/h had no effect on pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion. Serum gastrin concentration remained unchanged throughout the study. It is suggested that met-enkephalin could be a partial agonist on the parietal cell. The possible role of met-enkephalin in the cephalic phase of gastric acid secretion is discussed.

Key-words:

• Gastric acid
• gastrin
• met-enkephalin