The Relationship between Acid, Pepsin, and Electrolytes in Gastric Juice before and after Subcutaneous Injection of Histamine in Man

The gastric secretion of acid (TA), pepsin (CPU), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg), was studied in 14 patients before and after subcutaneous injection of 0.04 mg histamine diphosphate. The concentrations ([]) and outputs (Q) of TA, CPU, and K increased significantly after stimulation with histamine, while the [Mg] and [Na] decreased. The QNa was unchanged by histamine-stimulation, whereas QMg showed a significant increase in the first 20-minute period after histamine-stimulation. A correlation analysis between the parameters showed positive correlations between TA and CPU, TA and K, and a negative correlation between [TA] and [NA] or [Mg], There was a significant positive correlation between Na and Mg, but no significant correlation between CPU and Mg or Na. It is suggested that Mg stems from a different non-parietal cell secretion than pepsin, but that it probably has the same origin as Na.