Effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on acetylcholine and histamine levels in gastric juice of pylorus-ligated rats anesthetized with urethane

Acetylcholine (ACh) in gastric juice was detected and measured by pretreatm ent of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, 1 mM eserine (1 ml/rat, p.o.), in py lorus-ligated rats, by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection . In order to elucidate whether or not the ACh level in gastric juice refle cts the activity of cholinergic neurons, the effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2 -DG), a vagus stimulant, on the levels of ACh, histamine and gastric acid i n gastric juice was investigated in pylorus-ligated rats anesthetized with urethane (1.25 g/kg, i.p.). Under the non-anesthetic condition, ACh, histam ine and gastric acid levels were 100+/-25 pmol/h, 120+/-10 ng/h, and 240+/- 32 mu equiv./h, respectively. These levels were completely inhibited by ure thane anesthesia. Under the anesthetized condition, 2-DG (50-200 mg/kg, i.v .) significantly increased ACh and histamine levels in gastric juice, as we ll as acid secretion. The 2-DG (200 mg/kg, i.v.)-induced increases in these levels were completely inhibited by vagotomy. These results suggest that A Ch level measured in gastric juice reflects the activity of cholinergic tra nsmission. Furthermore, these results also support the conclusion that vagu s stimulation facilitates not only cholinergic transmission but also histam inergic transmission related to gastric acid secretion. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.