No relationship between plasma desacyl-ghrelin levels and rabeprazole-related delay in gastric emptying : controlled study in healthy volunteers.
Recent studies have indicated that rabeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, delays gastric emptying. However, the mechanism of action remains unclear. We conducted this study to clarify whether desacyl-ghrelin (the inactive form of the endogenous growth hormone secretagogue receptor ghrelin) is involved in rabeprazole-induced changes in gastric motor function. Twelve healthy males underwent (13)C-acetate breath tests to evaluate gastric emptying of a liquid meal twice after administration of rabeprazole 20 mg/day for 3 days or no medication (control). Gastric emptying was evaluated by two parameters: half-emptying time and time to peak (13)CO(2) excretion. Plasma desacyl-ghrelin levels were measured in blood samples collected at three time points: immediately pre-test and 1 and 2 hours after ingestion of the test meal. Rabeprazole significantly delayed gastric emptying of the liquid meal. However, plasma desacyl-ghrelin levels after ingestion of the liquid meal showed little difference before or after rabeprazole administration. The results indicate that desacyl-ghrelin was not associated with changes in gastric emptying caused by rabeprazole.
PubMed Abstracts
PubMed Abstracts