Comparison of the effects of ranitidine effervescent tablets and magnesium hydroxide-aluminium oxide on intragastric acidity. A single-centre, randomised, open cross-over study.

ABSTRACT

In previous studies measuring intragastric pH in healthy volunteers it was shown that there was a faster onset of action with ranitidine (CAS 66357-35-5) 300 mg effervescent tablets (Zantac) compared to standard tablets. In a single-centre, randomised, open cross-over study the pH-values obtained over 6 h following the administration of one ranitidine 150 mg effervescent tablet were compared with those after aluminium oxide-magnesium hydroxide (algeldrate, CAS 1330-44-5, Al-Mg-hydroxide) 10 ml and placebo in healthy volunteers. 24 healthy male subjects between 19 and 32 years of age entered the study, 19 subjects were available for all three measurements. After an overnight fast, intragastric pH was monitored for 7 h using a glass electrode and a digital data recorder. The time in % during which the pH was > or = 3.5 and the area under the curve of the obtained pH-curves were compared. There was a highly statistically significant difference between ranitidine effervescent tablets versus Al-Mg-hydroxide and placebo whereas there was no such difference between Al-Mg-hydroxide and placebo. The onset of action of ranitidine effervescent tablets was almost immediate. It is concluded that there was a clear superiority of ranitidine effervescent tablets in healthy volunteers and it is suggested that pH-metry in patients with acidity-related diseases should be investigated for a better understanding of the function of effervescent tablets.