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Reserpine, gastric secretion, and peptic ulcer

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Summary and conclusions

1. Single, orally administered doses (0.25 mg. to 0.5 mg.) of reserpine such as are used in the management of hypertension, stimulate HCl secretion only mildly; this effect is prevented by simultaneous administration of a therapeutic dose of an anticholinergic drug. Prolonged therapy with reserpine in these doses does not lead to gastric hypersecretion.

2. Single large doses of reserpine (1 mg. or more) given orally or parenterally usually provoke an intense and sustained secretion of acid, not prevented by even large doses of anticholinergics. The cumulative effects of these large doses is unknown.

3. The evidence to date does not establish reserpine as an important ulcerogenic agent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, and Wadsworth Hospital, VA Center, From the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.

    William H. Bachrach M.D.

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  1. William H. Bachrach M.D.
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Additional information

This work was conducted with the aid of a grant from Ciba Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Summit, N. J.

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Bachrach, W.H. Reserpine, gastric secretion, and peptic ulcer. Digest Dis Sci 4, 117–124 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02231231

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02231231

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