Anaesthetic agents suppress basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion. Are intramural neurons involved?

Anaesthetized animals are often used in studies of gastric secretion. We have examined the effect of anaesthetics on the acid output in gastric fistula rats and pylorus-ligated rats, both vagally intact and denervated. Diethyl ether, chloral hydrate, and mebumal effectively reduced both basal and stimulated acid output in fistula rats. The acid output in pylorus-ligated rats was greatly reduced by the anaesthetics. In vagally denervated rats local nervous reflexes are thought to play an important role in the acid secretory response to pylorus ligation. Anaesthetic drugs suppressed acid output in both vagally intact and vagally denervated rats. The possibility of an action on intramural neurons cannot be excluded. The neuro-suppressive effect of anaesthesia should be considered in studies of gastric acid secretion.