Use
Pentagastrin (Peptavlon), a physiologicalgastric acid secretagogue, is the synthetic pentapeptide derivative:N-t-butyloxycarbonyl-β-alanyl-L-tryptophyl-L-methionyl-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl amide. It contains theCOOH-terminal tetrapeptide amide (H·Try·Met· Asp·Phe·NH2), which is considered to be the active center ofthe natural gastrins. Accordingly, pentagastrin appears tohave the physiological and pharmacological properties ofthe gastrins, including stimulation of gastric secretion,pepsin secretion, gastric motility, pancreatic secretion ofwater and bicarbonate, pancreatic enzyme secretion, biliaryflow and bicarbonate output, intrinsic factor secretion, andcontraction of the gallbladder.Pentagastrin is indicated as a diagnostic agent to evaluategastric acid secretory function, and it is useful in testing foranacidity in patients with suspected pernicious anemia, atrophicgastritis or gastric carcinoma, hypersecretion in suspectedduodenal ulcer or postoperative stomal ulcers, andZollinger-Ellison tumor.