Estimation of pKB values for histamine H2-receptor antagonists using an in vitro acid secretion assay

Comparison of sucrose and maltose as reinforcers in an operant choice paradigm

Two experiments compared the reinforcing effects of sucrose and maltose across a range of concentrations. The results were interpreted using the Multiplicative Hyperbolic Model of reinforcer value (MHM). In Experiment 1, rats were exposed to a discrete-trials schedule in which they chose between the test compound (sucrose or maltose) and a standard sucrose solution (0.4 M, delivered after a 4-s delay). Percentage choice of each test compound increased as a function of concentration. The maximum percentage choice of maltose was significantly less than that of sucrose; the concentration corresponding to the half-maximal selection of the test compound was lower for maltose than for sucrose. In Experiment 2 the preference function for sucrose alone was compared with the preference function for a sucrose solution to which a fixed concentration of maltose had been added. The presence of maltose elevated the function and shifted it leftwards (i.e. towards lower concentrations). The results were interpreted in terms of MHM using two alterntive models 'borrowed' from classical pharmacological receptor theory. It was concluded that maltose and sucrose are not fully substitutable reinforcers and that the reinforcing effect of maltose may be mediated by an action at more than one species of sweet taste receptor.

The β2-adrenoceptor agonist bronchodilators terbutaline and orciprenaline are also weak α1-adrenoceptor antagonists

Recently, the β₂-adrenoceptor agonist terbutaline was shown to have α₁-adrenolytic activity in mouse isolated pulmonary arteries in vitro and to lower pulmonary artery pressure in anaesthetised mice. The aim of our study was to determine the α₁-adrenoceptor antagonist activity of terbutaline and its structurally close resorcinol, orciprenaline, in rat isolated small mesenteric arteries set up for myography. Their α₁-adrenoceptor antagonist potency was then compared with their potency as β₂-adrenoceptor agonists. Concentration-response curves to methoxamine were competitively antagonised by terbutaline (30-300 μM) or orciprenaline (30-300 μM) with a pK_B of 4.70 ± 0.09 or 4.79 ± 0.17, respectively. Both terbutaline and orciprenaline fulfilled the criteria for simple, silent competitive antagonism. Terbutaline (30-300 μM) had no effect on endothelin-1 concentration-contraction curves. Our findings suggest that after oral dosing of terbutaline, the maximum plasma levels would NOT reach levels to show α₁-adrenoceptor antagonist activity. In conclusion, our work has provided additional quantitative evidence that terbutaline and orciprenaline are weak competitive α₁-adrenoceptor antagonists, but this additional property is probably not therapeutically important in the clinical treatment of asthma or pulmonary artery hypertension with these more potent β₂-adrenoceptor agonists.

Human vascular to cardiac tissue selectivity of L- and T-type calcium channel antagonists

1. Voltage-operated calcium channel (VOCC) antagonists are effective antihypertensive and antianginal agents but they also depress myocardial contractility. 2. We compared four L-type calcium channel antagonists, felodipine, nifedipine, amlodipine and verapamil and a relatively T-type selective calcium channel antagonist, mibefradil, on human and rat isolated tissue assays to determine their functional vascular to cardiac tissue selectivity (V/C) ratio. 3. The V/C ratio was calculated as the ratio of the IC50 value of the antagonist that reduced (by 50%) submaximally contracted (K+ 62 mM) human small arteries from the aortic vasa vasorum (vascular, V) mounted in a myograph and the IC50 value of the antagonist that reduced (-)-isoprenaline (6 nM) submaximally stimulated human right atrial trabeculae muscle (cardiac, C) mounted in organ chambers. 4. The average pIC50 values (-log IC50 M) for the human vascular preparations were felodipine 8.30, nifedipine 7.78, amlodipine 6.64, verapamil 6.26 and mibefradil 6.22. The average pIC50 values for the cardiac muscle were felodipine 7.21, nifedipine 6.95, verapamil 6.91, amlodipine 5.94, and mibefradil 4.61. 5. The V/C ratio calculated as antilog [pIC50V-pIC50C] is thus mibefradil 41, felodipine 12, nifedipine 7, amlodipine 5 and verapamil 0.2. 6. In rat small mesenteric arteries the pIC50 values for the five drugs were similar to the values for human vasa vasorum arteries contracted by K+ 62 mM. However for methoxamine (10 microM) contraction in the rat arteries the pIC50 values were lower for felodipine 7.24 and nifedipine 6.23, but similar for verapamil 6.13, amlodipine 6.28 and mibefradil 5.91. 7. In conclusion. in the human tissue assays, the putative T-channel antagonist mibefradil shows the highest vascular to cardiac selectivity ratio; some 3 fold higher than the dihydropyridine, felodipine, and some 200 fold more vascular selective than the phenylalkylamine, verapamil. This favourable vascular to cardiac selectivity for mibefradil, from a new chemical class of VOCC antagonist, may be explained by its putative T-channel selectivity.

Pharmacological analysis of the CCKB/gastrin receptors mediating pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the isolated stomach of the immature rat

1. The CCKB/gastrin receptors mediating pentagastrin stimulation of gastric acid secretion by histamine release and by direct stimulation of oxyntic cells have been characterized in the immature rat isolated stomach assay. This was achieved by estimating antagonist affinity values for competitive antagonists from three distinct chemical classes (L-365,260, PD134,308 and JB93190) in the absence and presence of a high concentration of the histamine H2-receptor antagonist, famotidine (30 microM). 2. Pentagastrin produced concentration-dependent stimulation of gastric acid secretion in the absence and presence of famotidine. Famotidine depressed the maximum secretory response to pentagastrin although the degree of depression varied between experimental replicates (25-60%). This variation was attributed to the histamine-release mediated component of acid secretion, as judged by the consistency of the maximum responses obtained in the presence, but not absence, of famotidine. 3. All three CCKB/gastrin receptor antagonists behaved as surmountable antagonists in the absence and presence of famotidine. JB93190 (pKB approximately 9.1, approximately 8.9, in the absence and presence of famotidine, respectively) was approximately 30 fold more potent than either L-365,260 (pKB approximately 7.4, approximately 7.1) or PD134,308 (pKB approximately 7.6, approximately 7.4). 4. It was assumed that the famotidine treatment converted pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion from a combination of an indirect action due to the release of histamine and a direct action on the oxyntic cell to solely a direct action on the oxyntic cell. A simple mathematical model of this two-receptor system was developed. The direct and indirect components were assumed to sum to produce the total response to pentagastrin obtained in the absence of famotidine. It was found that this model could account quantitatively for the behaviour of the three antagonists without invoking a difference in antagonist affinity for the CCKB/gastrin receptors mediating the direct and indirect actions of pentagastrin. However, a conclusion of receptor homogeneity has to be qualified because the model was also used to generate simulations which indicated that the analysis could only detect antagonist affinity differences of greater than one log-unit between enterochromaffin-like (ECL) and oxyntic cell CCKB/gastrin receptor populations.

Comparison of effects of famotidine on vagally and field-electrically stimulated acid secretion in the isolated mouse whole stomach

Effects of famotidine on neuronally evoked acid secretion were investigated by means of vagal (at the lower esophagus level) and field-electrical stimulation (around the stomach) in the isolated mouse whole stomach preparation. Each of the electrical stimulations caused a frequency-dependent (1 to 20 Hz) increase in acid output, and the secretory response was abolished by tetrodotoxin or atropine. In the case of field stimulation, the acid secretion was not completely inhibited by hexamethonium. When 10 Hz frequency was applied with either vagal or field-electrical stimulation, the acid secretion was only partly inhibited by famotidine at doses of up to 30 microM. In contrast, the acid response to 2 Hz stimulation was almost completely inhibited by 1 microM famotidine. In the presence of neostigmine (30 nM), the 2 Hz vagally stimulated acid secretion became partly resistant to the effect of famotidine (10 microM). These results suggest that both vagally and field-electrically stimulated acid secretions have essentially the same characteristics and that the secretory mechanism through histamine release is exclusively dominant with weak stimulation, while the cholinergic mechanism on parietal cells is sufficient for reaching the maximal secretory response with strong stimulation.

JB-9322, a new selective histamine H2-receptor antagonist with potent gastric mucosal protective properties

1. JB-9322 is a selective histamine H2-receptor antagonist with gastric antisecretory activity and mucosal protective properties. 2. The affinity of JB-9322 for the guinea-pig atria histamine H2-receptor was approximately 2 times greater than that of ranitidine. 3. In vivo, the ID50 value for the inhibition of gastric acid secretion in pylorus-ligated rats was 5.28 mg kg-1 intraperitoneally. JB-9322 also dose-dependently inhibited gastric juice volume and pepsin secretion. In gastric lumen-perfused rats, intravenous injection of JB-9322 dose-dependently reduced histamine-, pentagastrin- and carbachol-stimulated gastric acid secretion. 4. JB-9322 showed antiulcer activity against aspirin and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions and was more potent than ranitidine. 5. JB-9322 effectively inhibited macroscopic gastric haemorrhagic lesions induced by ethanol. Intraperitoneal injection was effective in preventing the lesions as well as oral treatment. The oral ID50 value for these lesions was 1.33 mg kg-1. By contrast, ranitidine (50 mg kg-1) failed to reduce these lesions. In addition, the protective effect of JB-9322 was independent of prostaglandin synthesis. 6. These results indicate that JB-9322 is a new antiulcer drug that exerts a potent cytoprotective effect in addition to its gastric antisecretory activity.

Stimulation of bicarbonate secretion by alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor agonists in rat caecum in vitro

This study examines the effects of adrenergic drugs on bicarbonate secretion by the rat caecum in vitro. Noradrenaline, phenylephrine but not clonidine, stimulated secretion in a concentration-related manner. Noradrenaline responses were antagonised by alprenolol (20 microM) but not phentolamine (10 microM) whilst phenylephrine was antagonised by phentolamine (10 microM), prazosin (5 microM) but not yohimbine (5 microM), alprenolol or tetrodotoxin (1 microM). Replacement of mucosal Cl- abolished the phenylephrine response. Combined stimulation with maximum concentrations of phenylephrine and isoprenaline gave a response which was not greater than that to either agonist alone but it did involve both alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors as judged from the effects of alprenolol and phentolamine either alone or combined. Submaximum concentrations of the two agonists did show additive responses. The results show that alpha 1- but not alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists stimulate bicarbonate secretion and may act on the same transport mechanism as beta-adrenoceptor agonists. Noradrenaline stimulates via beta-adrenoceptors.

Glibenclamide is a competitive antagonist of the thromboxane A2 receptor in dog coronary artery in vitro

1. Glibenclamide, a sulphonylurea oral hypoglycaemic agent is a widely used antagonist of cromakalim-activated K+ channels in smooth muscle. 2. In isolated ring segments of the large circumflex coronary artery from the dog, glibenclamide (1-30 microM) caused a concentration-dependent reduction in both spontaneous isometric force and contractions induced by U46619, a thromboxane A2-mimetic. 3. Glibenclamide behaved as a competitive antagonist of U46619 with an estimated pKB (-log KB) value of 6.2 by Schild regression analysis (slope 1.07). 4. Glibenclamide (30 microM) was apparently selective since it had no effect on the concentration-contraction curves to endothelin-1, noradrenaline or KCl. 5. We suggest that this additional property of glibenclamide should be considered in any smooth muscle study where active force is raised by either the exogenous application or endogenous generation of thromboxane A2.

H2-receptor antagonism by a novel compound IT-066 assessed from [14C]aminopyrine accumulation in rabbit parietal cells

The H2-receptor antagonistic activities and properties of IT-066 were investigated in rabbit isolated gastric mucosal cell and were compared with those of famotidine and cimetidine. IT-066 inhibited dose dependently the histamine-stimulated [14C]aminopyrine ([14C]AP) accumulation in parietal cells. The antagonism was unsurmountable. The inhibitory action of IT-066 was enhanced by lengthening of its incubation time with the cells. IT-066 following 30 min preincubation with the parietal cells showed 32 and 1560 times the activity of famotidine and cimetidine, respectively, as an inhibitor of [14C]AP accumulation. The inhibitory activity of IT-066 on the histamine effect remained after repeated washing of the cells while with famotidine and cimetidine the response to histamine was restored after washout of the drugs from the cells. These data indicate that the antagonism of IT-066 on histamine H2-receptors is high and is unsurmountable in the isolated parietal cell model.

Histamine receptors: subclasses and specific ligands

In this review the three main types of histamine receptors are discussed together with their specific ligands. For the classical H1-receptors much emphasis is put on the mechanism by which the receptor is stimulated. For the H1- and H2-receptor the review includes information on the several models available for establishing agonistic or antagonistic activity. In the section on the H3-receptor the ligands are discussed as well as the possible physiological role of this receptor. In the final paragraphs some less well defined activities are presented.

Stimulation by McN-A-343 and blockade by telenzepine of acid secretion in the mouse isolated stomach at histamine-liberating cells

(1) In the lumen-perfused mouse stomach in vitro, potential sites of gastric antisecretory action of the muscarine M1-receptor antagonist telenzepine were investigated. Acid secretion was stimulated by the muscarinic agonist McN-A-343 (1-1000 mumol/l). Neither basal nor McN-A-343-stimulated acid secretion was affected by 1 mumol/l TTX indicating that neuronal structures were probably not involved. (2) Acid secretion stimulated by 10 mumol/l McN-A-343 was inhibited by telenzepine (0.1-1.4 mumol/l) and cimetidine (10-140 mumol/l). Neither of the antagonists affected basal acid secretion. TTX had no inhibitory influence on the antagonist effect of telenzepine and cimetidine. (3) Compound 48/80 (100 mumol/l), which depletes histamine stores, initially mimicked but subsequently prevented the effect of McN-A-343. Prenylamine (50 mumol/l), which prevents histamine release, also abolished the secretagogue effect of subsequently administered McN-A-343. (4) Up to concentrations greater than 100 mumol/l, McN-A-343 did not stimulate acid production in rabbit isolated fundic glands and guinea-pig isolated parietal cells. Thus, parietal cells are not directly stimulated by McN-A-343. (5) Based on the site of action of the agonist McN-A-343 in the mouse isolated stomach and its failure to stimulate parietal cells from different species directly, it is concluded that telenzepine blocks, in the mouse isolated stomach, muscarine receptors located on paracrine cells to reduce endogenous histamine release.

Correlation between log POCT/H2O and pKB estimates for a series of muscarinic and histamine H2-receptor antagonists

1. With histamine used as agonist, pKB values were estimated for seventeen histamine H2-receptor antagonists on assays involving acid secretion by the mouse isolated stomach and contraction frequency of the guinea-pig right atrium. 2. With the exception of oxmetidine, SK&F 94,826 and SK&F 94,206 on the right atrium assay, the compounds behaved as simple competitive antagonists on both assays. Although the former three compounds produced concentration-dependent, parallel, displacement of the histamine concentration-effect curves, subsequent analysis indicated Schild plot slope parameters significantly less than unity. However, the application of a combined dose-ratio analysis indicated that their antagonistic behaviour did not differ from expectations for simple competition at dose-ratios of approximately 20, and pKB values were estimated on this basis. 3. In accordance with previously reported data, pKB values were found to be consistently lower on the stomach than atrial assays. The pKB value for tiotidine was underestimated to the same extent on the stomach assay when impromidine was used as agonist. 4. The removal of the serosal muscle from the mouse stomach, achieved by using an isolated, perfused, mucosal sheet preparation, did not significantly affect the underestimation of the pKB value for metiamide. 5. Linear regressional analysis indicated a significant, positive, correlation between lipophilicity (log POCT/H2O) of the antagonists and the degree of antagonist pKB value underestimation on the gastric secretion assay.

The pentagastrin-induced gastric acid response in humans

The pentagastrin-induced acid response, alone and versus different doses of cimetidine, was studied in humans. The inhibitory effect of the histamine H2-receptor antagonist cimetidine could only in part be counteracted by increasing doses of pentagastrin. The maximal gastric acid response was significantly decreased by cimetidine, and the ED50 values for pentagastrin showed a minor but still statistically significant increase, indicating both a competitive and a non-competitive inhibition by cimetidine of pentagastrin-induced gastric acid secretion. The pA2 characterization of the receptor mediating the pentagastrin-induced gastric acid response gave a value of 6.2, compared with the pA2 value of the human H2 receptor of 6.1. This suggests that the pentagastrin-induced gastric acid response in humans is mediated via the histamine H2-receptor.

Pharmacological analysis of muscarinic receptors coupled to oxyntic cell secretion in the mouse stomach

In the light of recent attempts to subclassify muscarinic receptors, agonist-antagonist interactions at muscarinic receptors have been re-examined using improved techniques, on the mouse, isolated, lumen-perfused stomach gastric acid assay. Using 5-methylfurmethide as the muscarinic agonist, the pKB estimated for atropine was significantly lower on the stomach assay (7.78) than on the guinea-pig trachea (8.93). However pKB values for N-methylatropine, the quaternary ammonium derivative of atropine, at concentrations producing dose-ratios above 20 on the stomach assay (pKB = 9.67), and over the full concentration range studied on the trachea (pKB = 9.69) were not significantly different. The deviation from simple competitive behaviour at low dose-ratios with N-methylatropine in the stomach assay is consistent with the effects of a saturable uptake mechanism for quaternary ammonium compounds. The pKB values for pirenzepine on the stomach (6.67) and the trachea (6.87) were not significantly different suggesting that pirenzepine behaves more like N-methylatropine in terms of expressed affinity. We conclude that the oxyntic cell muscarinic receptors are homogeneous with those in the guinea-pig trachea. An initial exploration suggests that there is a relationship between the lipophilicity (log P) of the antagonists and the degree of apparent underestimation of antagonist affinity in the stomach assay. This supports the hypothesis that the underestimation of antagonist affinity is due to the loss of antagonist into the gastric secretion from the receptor compartment. Apparently, relatively selective inhibition of acid secretion, compared to atropine, could be explained without the need to postulate heterogeneity of muscarinic receptor populations.

The isolated stomach preparation of the mouse: a physiological unit for pharmacological analysis

Although oxyntic cell secretion can be studied at many organisation levels between isolated cell suspensions and non-invasive techniques in animals, the isolated, lumen-perfused, stomach preparation of the mouse represents a hierarchical level which eliminates extrinsic regulatory influences but retains all the cellular architecture known to be necessary for physiological responses and so can be defined as the physiological unit of acid secretion. The feeding pattern before and the distending pressure during an experiment have been identified as the main determinants of basal secretion: the combination of an intragastric pressure of 12 cmH2O and the fasted state generated a stable basal secretion over 2 h providing a satisfactory basis for bioassays. Basal acid secretion was lowered by treatment with omeprazole and sodium thiocyanate but not with tetrodotoxin, N-methylatropine or tiotidine, suggesting that basal secretion does not involve nervous stimulation or the local release of histamine under these experimental conditions. The improved assay permitted the full characterization of cumulative agonist concentration-effect curves in single stomach preparations to histamine, 5-methylfurmethide, pentagastrin and isobutyl-methylxanthine. Interestingly, pentagastrin produced sustained stimulation of gastric acid secretion under conditions when there was no pharmacological evidence that histamine secretion was taking place. This finding is discussed in relation to the role of histamine in the control of gastric acid secretion.

Further analysis of anomalous pKB values for histamine H2-receptor antagonists on the mouse isolated stomach assay

Agonist-antagonist interactions at histamine receptors have been re-examined using improved techniques, on the mouse isolated, lumen-perfused, stomach gastric acid assay. Using histamine as agonist, pKB values have been estimated for burimamide, metiamide, cimetidine, ranitidine, oxmetidine and famotidine on both the gastric and guinea-pig isolated right atrium assays. With the exception of oxmetidine on the atrial assay, these compounds behaved as competitive antagonists on both assays. Oxmetidine significantly depressed basal rate on the atrial assay and the Schild plot slope parameter (0.81) was significantly less than one. The pKB values estimated on the gastric assay were lower than those on the atrial assay. However, the difference between the values on the gastric and atrial assays was not constant. The difference between the two assays for famotidine was not significant. We conclude that the apparent varying selectivity of the antagonists for gastric and atrial histamine H2-receptors may be explained by the differential loss of antagonists into the gastric secretion from the receptor compartment and that there is no need to postulate heterogeneity of histamine H2-receptors.

Pharmacological analysis of the pentagastrin-tiotidine interaction in the mouse isolated stomach

The pentagastrin-tiotidine interaction has been analysed, using improved techniques, in the mouse isolated, lumen-perfused, stomach assay. For comparison and quantification of the H2-receptor blocking activity of tiotidine, histamine-tiotidine interactions have also been analysed in the mouse stomach and guinea-pig isolated right atrial preparation. Tiotidine behaved as a competitive antagonist of histamine both in the guinea-pig right atrium (pKB 7.57) and mouse stomach (pKB 6.96). The difference in pKB was attributed to the loss of tiotidine into the gastric secretion. On the stomach assay, pentagastrin concentration-effect curves were significantly flatter with lower maximal responses than those obtained to histamine. In addition the profile of inhibition observed with tiotidine was different in that the pentagastrin curve maxima were depressed with only a small concomitant dextrad shift. A mathematical model has been developed which accounts for the differences in agonist concentration-effect curves and describes in a quantitative manner the expectations for the competitive antagonism of endogenous histamine assumed to be released by pentagastrin. Fitting of the pentagastrin-tiotidine data to this model provided a reasonable goodness-of-fit. The results are discussed in terms of the role of endogenous histamine in gastrin-stimulated acid secretion. We conclude that the results are consistent with the hypothesis that pentagastrin stimulates acid secretion via the release of endogenous histamine under the present experimental conditions.

Action of histamine and of some H2-antagonists on gastric secretion 'in vitro'

The effect of histamine and of some H2-antagonists on isolated gastric mucosal preparation from immature (14-18 days) rats, was investigated. Basal secretion varied, in our experimental conditions, between 1.06 and 3.54 mumol cm-2 h-1, reaching higher values (approximately 4.6 mumol cm-2 h-1) only in a small percentage of animals (10%). Histamine exerted a concentration-dependent stimulation of acid secretion in concentrations varying between 2 X 10(-6) and 1.6 X 10(-4) M. The response to histamine was competitively antagonized by ranitidine (pA2 value = 6.78) and by 4(5)-(4- isopropylaminomethyleniminophenyl ) imidazole (compound marked DA 4577) (pA2 value = 7.37). Oxmetidine acted as a competitive antagonist only for concentrations as low as 10(-8) M; higher concentrations (10(-7) and 10(-6) M) determined a non-competitive inhibition. Ranitidine and compound marked DA 4577 did not affect basal secretion up to concentrations of 3 X 10(-4) M. On the contrary oxmetidine exerted a concentration-dependent inhibition starting from 10(-5) M. Since in our experimental conditions the role of calcium ions in the regulation of basal secretion could not be established, the mechanism of action of oxmetidine was not completely clarified, even if an interference in the utilization of calcium ions may be suggested. In any case it is deemed of interest that this H2-antagonist was the only compound capable of inducing a reversible complete inhibition of basal acid secretion (only KSCN, in very high concentrations, had a similar behaviour).

Comparison of cimetidine with new H2-antagonists in rabbit and guinea pig gastric cells

We compared the effect of three relatively new H2-antagonists (compounds L-643,411, BL-6341A and SK&F 93479) to cimetidine in two preparations of mucosal cells isolated from rabbit and guinea pig stomachs. The indices for the histamine-stimulated acid secretory response were the changes in [14C]aminopyrine uptake in the rabbit and in cellular cyclic AMP, in the guinea pig. Both functions were mediated by the histamine H2-receptors and hence, can be used to examine antagonist-receptor interaction in vitro. In both rabbit and guinea pig, the new antagonists were highly potent competitive inhibitors of histamine on the H2-receptor, 30- to 200-fold more potent than cimetidine. The Ki values for cimetidine (500-800 nM) and L-643,411 (6-12 nM) were the same in the two animal species, but those for SK&F 93479 and BL-6431A were significantly lower in rabbit than in guinea pig cells. In inhibiting the changes in [14C]aminopyrine uptake in rabbit cells the Ki values for SK&F 93479 and BL-6341A were 2.4-3.5 nM whereas on cyclic AMP in guinea pig cells they were 10-fold higher (25-30 nM). These differences may reflect the structural requirements of the H2-receptors in that in rabbit these antagonists possess higher affinity for the H2-receptors than in guinea pig, or alternatively, uptake or metabolism of histamine by rabbit gastric cells may be responsible for these differences. Furthermore, these preparations appeared to be satisfactory for in vitro assay of gastric acid secretion to test for competitiveness of new H2-receptor antagonists.

Kinetics of antisecretory action of a new H2-antagonist, YM-11170, in conscious dogs

The antisecretory property of YM-11170 was compared with that of cimetidine and atropine in the Heidenhain pouch dog. YM-11170 inhibited competitively dimaprit-induced gastric acid secretion in doses of 33 and 100 nmol/kg per h and its antisecretory potency was 148 times more pronounced than that of cimetidine. The secretory action of pentagastrin and methacholine was also inhibited by YM-11170 and cimetidine with doses similar to those required for the inhibition of dimaprit action although the inhibition by the H2-antagonists was not of the surmountable type. Atropine inhibited gastric secretion stimulated by methacholine and pentagastrin more strongly than that stimulated by dimaprit. It is concluded that YM-11170 is a competitive antagonist of dimaprit-induced gastric secretion in vivo and that the activity of the H2-antagonists in blocking gastric H2-receptors may reflect their inhibitory effect on the acid response to pentagastrin and methacholine.

The inhibitory effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine on gastric acid secretion by the rat isolated stomach

1 The effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on acid secretion by a rat isolated stomach preparation has been studied. 2 5-HT at 10(-5)M in the serosal bathing fluid produced significant inhibition of the acid secretory responses to histamine, pentagastrin and isoprenaline but was without effect on basal secretion or that due to bethanechol, dibutryl cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (db cyclic AMP) or phosphodiesterase inhibition with ICI63197. Increasing the concentration of 5-HT to 5 x 10(-5) M did not change this pattern of response whilst 5-HT at 10(-6) M did not cause consistent inhibition. 3 The inhibitory action of 5-HT could be prevented by the antagonist methysergide (2.5 x 10(-5) M). This concentration of methysergide alone did not affect responses to secretagogues or basal acid output. 4 Neither propranolol (2.5 x 10(-5) M) nor tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M) antagonized the inhibitory action of 5-HT. 5 Both indomethacin (2.8 x 10(-5) M) and ibuprofen (2.4 x 10(-4) M) antagonized the action of 5-HT. Indomethacin alone had no effect upon secretagogue responses. 6 5-HT at 10(-5) M had no inhibitory action when applied to the mucosal side of the preparation. 7 The results indicate that 5-HT can act directly on the stomach of the rat to produce inhibition of acid output. This inhibition is selective and may involve the products of cyclo-oxygenase activity.

Chronotropic effects of angiotensin I, angiotensin II, bradykinin and vasopressin in guinea pig atria

Chronotropic responses to angiotensin I and angiotensin II, vasopressin and bradykinin were measured in guinea pig isolated right atria. Angiotensin II (100-30,000 pg/ml) was slightly more potent than angiotensin I and caused a maximum tachycardia of 30-40 b/min; only 20% of the maximum response to (--)-noradrenaline. Propranolol (1 micro M) or reserpine pretreatment (1 mg/kg i.p., 24 h) did not alter the response to angiotensin II or bradykinin. Converting enzyme inhibition by captopril (10 micrograms/ml) did not affect resting rate nor the response to angiotensin II but shifted the location of the angiotensin I curve by 40 fold to the right. Bradykinin (5-500 ng/ml) caused small increases in rate while vasopressin 1-100 ng/ml was completely without effect. These results suggest that angiotensin II has a small positive chronotropic effect that is not dependent on tissue noradrenaline release or beta-adrenoceptors and that tissue converting enzyme is active in right atria. Relatively high concentrations of angiotensin and bradykinin were required to directly stimulate the sino-atrial node compared with plasma levels measured during physiological stimuli. Therefore these effects on atria are probably of little physiological significance for peptide concentrations in plasma but may be important in relation to local tissue generation of angiotensin II.

The interaction of choline esters, vagal stimulation and H2-receptor blockade on acid secretion in vitro

Choline esters, bethanechol and carbachol, and electrical field stimulation increased acid secretion in the mouse, isolated, lumen-perfused, stomach. Electrical field stimulation was apparently mediated by vagal nerve ending because treatment with either tetrodotoxin or atropine abolished the response. Using a 2 + 2 assay design, experiments with bethanechol showed that the H2-receptor antagonists metiamide and cimetidine (1 mM) were devoid of antimuscarinic activity. However, the effects of carbachol, which unlike bethanechol stimulates both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors, were significantly antagonised by metiamide (1 mM) at a concentration which was not anticholinergic. We conclude that there are cholinergic receptors separate from histamine H2-receptors on parietal cells. The effects of vagal stimulation in this preparation however, are apparently mediated by histamine release. These results support the "two-cell hypothesis' where vagal nerve endings synapse with the parietal cell.

Analysis of the dose-response relationship of histamine and N tau-methylhistamine

The dose-response relationship of histamine (Hi) and N tau-methylhistamine (MeHi) was analysed in isolated ileum and the right auricle of the guinea pig, in isolated mouse stomach and in the blood flow through the submandibular gland of the cat. It was shown that the intrinsic activity of MeHi is slightly less than that of Hi. MeHi is equally active on either type of Hi receptor; the differences found in the isolated mouse stomach and in the blood flow through the salivary gland can be explained by non-equilibrium conditions. The dissociation constant of MeHi (3.5 X 10(-4) M) is nearly the same in the isolated ileum and the right auricle of the guinea pig and in isolated mouse stomach.

The action of beta-adrenoceptor agonists on acid secretion by the rat isolated stomach

1. The action of beta-adrenoceptor agonists on acid secretion by an immature rat isolated stomach preparation has been studied. 2. Isoprenaline, salbutamol, salmefamol, adrenaline and noradrenaline all stimulated acid output over a concentration range of 2 X 10(-7) M--10(-5) M. 3. These responses were antagonized by propranolol (2 X 10(-5) M), pindolol and timolol (10(-6) M). 4. The antagonism of isoprenaline and salmefamol by propranolol was consistent with competitive inhibition. 5. Selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (practolol, atenolol, butoxamine and ICI 118 551) caused significant inhibition of noradrenaline-stimulated secretion but not of that due to the other agonists. 6. An adult rat isolated mucosa preparation responded to adrenaline in a similar manner to the immature stomach preparation. 7. Acid secretion stimulated by beta-adrenoceptor agonists was not antagonized by atropine (10(-5) M), metiamide (10(-4) M) or prostaglandin E2 (10(-5) M). The concentrations of these three antagonists caused marked inhibition of the responses to submaximal concentrations of bethanechol, histamine and pentagastrin respectively. 8. The results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanisms of action of beta-adrenoceptor stimulation of acid secretion: it is concluded that the response is probably mediated by beta-receptors on the parietal cell.

The gastric antisecretory actions of prostaglandin E2 and stable prostacyclin analogues against different secretagogues in perfused whole-stomachs of rat or mouse in vitro

1 The characteristics of the antisecretory actions of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and two stable prostacyclin analogues during different rates of acid stimulation have been evaluated in the lumen-perfused isolated whole stomach of the rat and mouse. 2 In the rat isolated stomach, histamine induced a dose-dependent increase in acid output. Preincubation with PGE2 caused a dose-related and surmountable inhibition. 3 The stable prostacyclin analogues, 6 beta-PGI1 and a 16-phenoxy derivative likewise caused a surmountable inhibition of histamine-stimulated acid output from rat stomach. 4 PGE2 had inconsistent actions on the acid secretion stimulated by pentagastrin, methacholine or dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. 5 In the mouse isolated stomach, acid secretion was stimulated by low concentrations of histamine, pentagastrin or methacholine. 6 PGE2 failed to inhibit histamine-stimulated acid output from mouse stomach, but high concentrations of the potent 15-phenoxy analogue did show anti-secretory activity. 7 The results indicate the usefulness of the rat isolated stomach for studying the interaction of prostaglandins with the acid secretory process in mammalian gastric mucosa.