The effect of anticholinergic drugs on the electrolyte content of gastric juice.

Gastric secretion was stimulated by insulin hypoglycaemia and the effect of increasing doses of anticholinergic drugs on the volume, acid, and electrolyte content of gastric juice was studied. The sodium and potassium output was depressed to a far less extent than the acid output and the drop in volume of secretion and acid output after anticholinergic drugs is almost entirely due to decreased acid secretion. With increasing anticholinergic suppression of the volume of secretion, there is a marked fall in potassium output and a lesser fall in sodium output. The potassium concentration showed a slight fall and there was a rise in sodium concentration.