The Effect of a Synthetic Enkephalin Analogue on Postprandial Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Hormone Secretion

The effect of the synthetic enkephalin analogue Sandoz FK33‐824 (DAMME) on gastric emptying and the postprandial secretion of upper gastrointestinal and pancreatic hormones was investigated in six healthy subjects. Gastric emptying was delayed as was the postprandial rise in glucose. There was significant blunting of insulin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide secretion, with complete abolition of the normal postprandial increases in pancreatic polypeptide and motilin. The secretion of gastrin was prolonged. These results demonstrate that pharmacological doses of opiate peptides inhibit gastric emptying and may have direct and indirect effects on gastrointestinal and pancreatic hormone secretion.