Comparison of the effects of structurally different H2-antagonists on acid and pepsin activity stimulated by dimaprit in conscious cats

In the present study the effects of three structurally different H2-receptor antagonists (cimetidine, ranitidine and oxmetidine) have been investigated on gastric acid and pepsin secretion of eight cats provided with cannulated gastric fistulas. The maximum pepsin output obtained from a set of complete dose-response curves of dimaprit was not statistically different from basal values. In the presence of the H2-antagonists, while the gastric acid secretion induced by dimaprit was competitively antagonized, the pepsin secretion was differently affected. The data obtained on pepsin activity with cimetidine and ranitidine were quite similar to the control values. By contrast, oxmetidine induced a significant increase. The results suggest a very weak involvement of the H2-receptors in pepsin activity and that oxmetidine performance could not be attributable to an H2-receptor block.