Cholecystokinin is a physiological hormonal mediator of fat‐induced inhibition of gastric emptying in man

Abstract

The effect of cholecystokinin-33 on gastric emptying was studied in eight healthy men. The test meal was a firm custard pudding, labelled with ^99mTc-Chelex-100 particles. Gastric emptying rate was measured, using a dual-headed gamma camera, and was expressed as the half time of the emptying curve. Plasma cholecystokinin concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Subjects were studied three times: (i) during infusion of saline; during cholecystokinin infusion, (ii) 0·375 IDU kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ and (iii) 0·75 IDU kg⁻¹ h⁻¹. Furthermore, plasma cholecystokinin was determined after a regular meal. During saline, plasma cholecystokinin increased minimally. After the regular meal it increased from 1·6 to 6·5 pmol l⁻¹ at 30 min, decreasing to 5·3 pmol l⁻¹ at 60 min. During the lower and higher doses of cholecystokinin it increased from 10 and 1·4 to 4·5 and 7·3 pmol l⁻¹, respectively. The lower and higher doses significantly (P < 0·05) increased half emptying time, from 45 ± 8 to 86 ± 17 and 198 ± 50 min, respectively. Cholecystokinin is most likely a physiological hormonal mediator of fat-induced inhibition of gastric emptying.