Effect of Verapamil on Gastric Secretion in Man

Abstract

To elucidate the role of calcium as a second messenger in gastric acid secretion, the effect of the calcium antagonist verapamil was studied in healthy subjects. Verapamil had no inhibitory effect on acid and pepsin secretion, stimulated with histamine, 6.4 μg·kg^-1h^-1 (no. = 6); pentagastrin, 0.10 μg·kg^-1h^-1 (no. = 9); or modified sham feeding (no. = 7). The results do not exclude the possibility that influx of calcium through channels in the parietal cell membrane could be of importance in the stimulus–secretion coupling of acid secretion. The results suggest, however, that these channels are not blocked by verapamil.

Key words:

• Acid secretion
• calcium influx
• verapamil