Early effects of oral administration of lafutidine with peppermint oil, compared with lafutidine alone, on intragastric pH values.

Ideally, medications for the treatment of acid-related diseases should have a rapid onset of action to promote hemostasis and the resolution of symptoms. The aim of our study was to investigate the inhibitory effects on gastric acid secretion of a single oral administration of lafutidine alone or combined with peppermint oil. Ten Helicobacter pylori-negative male subjects participated in this randomized, two-way crossover study. Intragastric pH was monitored continuously for 4 hours after a single oral administration of lafutidine (10 mg) or the administration of lafutidine (10 mg) with peppermint oil (0.64 mL). Each administration was separated by a 7-day washout period. No significant difference in the average pH was observed during the 4-hour period after the combined administration of lafutidine and peppermint oil and after the administration of lafutidine alone (median gastric pH: 5.09 versus 5.29; p = 0.3122). In H. pylori-negative healthy male subjects, an oral dose of lafutidine combined with peppermint oil did not increase the intragastric pH faster than lafutidine alone.