Complete inhibition of food-stimulated gastric acid secretion by combined application of pirenzepine and ranitidine.

In a double-blind, placebo controlled and randomised secretory study the effectiveness of pirenzepine, ranitidine, and their combination was compared intraindividually in eight healthy subjects receiving intravenous bolus injections. Pirenzepine (0.15 mg/kg) plus ranitidine (0.6 mg/kg) suppressed peptone-stimulated gastric acid secretion from 69 +/- 11 to 2 +/- 0.4 mmol H+/3 h; the mean percentage inhibition was 97%. Postprandial gastrin was unaffected. There were only minor side-effects in a few experiments (reduction of salivation, brief blurring of vision), but no prolactin stimulation after ranitidine or ranitidine plus pirenzepine. The combined application of ranitidine and pirenzepine inhibited meal-stimulated acid secretion more effectively and produced fewer side-effects than the combination of cimetidine plus pirenzepine studied previously.