Studies on Pancreatic Function in Liver Cirrhosis

Part 3 The Effect of Pancreatic Juice on Iron Absorption

Abstract

In the preliminary studies, the abnormal result of secretin test in liver cirrhosis was found more frequently in the cases with siderosis (70%) than the cases without (43%), and the author demonstrated that 2 of the 3 patients of liver cirrhosis showing increased iron absorption had both low bicarbonate concentration and low duodenal pH.
The present study deals with the effect of pancreatic juice on 59Fe absorption from the isolated, perfused loop of the dog duodenum.
1) The iron absorption decreased markedly by duodenal infusion of either row or heated pancreatic juice, or cabonic buffer (bicarbonate concentration 88 mEq/l) at pH 8.8. On the contrary, no decrease of iron absorption was found in cases of duodenal infusion of pancreatin (N.B.C.), pancreatic homogenate or hydrochloric acid.
2) By mixing FeSo⁴solution with pancreatic juice in vitro, ferrous iron concentration was diminished when the pH of the mixture was above 6.5.
3) As a result, it was considered that the pancreatogenic factor in the control of iron absorption in the duodenum was responsible for mainly the alkalis in pancreatic juice.