The effect of bombesin on gastric emptying of solids in man.

Intravenous infusion of bombesin (5 ng.kg(-1). min(-1) significantly delayed gastric emptying of solids in man. The gastrin response to meal increased following administration of the peptide; however no correlation was found between the difference in gastrin response (to meal alone and to meal plus bombesin) and the degree of delay in emptying. In addition the behavior of intragastric pH after eating was not modified by bombesin infusion. All of these data suggest a direct effect of the peptide on gastric emptying, which was probably connected with the strong contraction of the antrum and pylorus observed in this and in previous investigations.