Meat Extractives as Stimulants for Secretion of Pepsin

Abstract

As a result of the experiments conducted by Lobassow, 1 Sirotinin, 1 and of other workers in Pavlov's laboratory, and of the fractionation studies of Krimberg and Komarov 2 and others, the extractives of muscle have been recognized as potent stimuli for the secretion of gastric juice; their relation to the secretion of the particular component of gastric juice, pepsin, has received much less attention. We have conducted experiments on Pavlov gastric pouch dogs, using solutions of 4 different muscle extractive preparations and of 3 of these combined with starch, to determine what effect these materials might have on the secretion of pepsin. Secretion was followed during a preliminary period and then for 6 hours after administration of the test solution, and, in some cases, a second dose of the test material was given. At least 3 animals were used in the tests of each preparation and 2 were subjects throughout the entire study. Free and total acidities were titrated to the endpoints of Töpfer's reagent and of phenolphthalein respectively; total chloride concentration was determined by the method of Van Slyke 3 and peptic activity by the procedure of Gilman and Cowgill. 4

The first commercial meat extract† to be examined stimulated the flow of juice as determined by volume, but not the secretion of pepsin unless starch was added to the solution (Table I). In the latter case, we found, as had Lobassow, 1 that the enzyme content of the juice was markedly increased suggesting the stimulation of the flow of pepsin through mechanical factors.

Trials with another commercial meat extract likewise gave negative results as regards the secretion of pepsin.