Approved & therapeutic
Secretin
ChiRhoStim, human secretin
Secretin is a 27-amino-acid gastrointestinal hormone, produced synthetically and used diagnostically to assess exocrine pancreatic function, to identify gastrinoma, and to aid cannulation of the pancreatic duct during ERCP.
Also known as: ChiRhoStim, human secretin, SecreFlo
- Status
- Secretin is approved by the U.S. FDA and has official prescribing information.
- Evidence
- Approved labeling. Official prescribing information exists, based on clinical trials in people.
- Half-life
- Approximately 45 minutes.
- How it's taken
- Intravenous injection in a diagnostic setting
- Mechanism
- Other
How Secretin works
Secretin is released from duodenal S cells in response to acid and stimulates the pancreatic ductal epithelium to secrete a bicarbonate-rich fluid. Administering it and collecting the resulting pancreatic secretions measures exocrine reserve. In gastrinoma it produces a paradoxical rise in gastrin — normal gastric G cells are inhibited by secretin, whereas gastrinoma cells respond by increasing gastrin release, which is the diagnostic signature.
What research has looked at
- Measures exocrine pancreatic function directly rather than by inference from stool or symptom markers.
- The paradoxical gastrin rise it produces is the standard provocative test for gastrinoma in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
- Stimulating pancreatic juice flow aids identification and cannulation of the pancreatic duct during ERCP.
Evidence level: Approved labeling. Official prescribing information exists, based on clinical trials in people. These are areas studied or reported, not promised effects.
Reported side effects and risks
- It was widely promoted as a treatment for autism in the late 1990s. Multiple randomised controlled trials subsequently found no benefit, and this use is not supported. It remains one of the clearer examples of an intervention adopted enthusiastically before evidence.
- Hypersensitivity reactions, including rare anaphylaxis.
- Transient abdominal discomfort, nausea and flushing.
- It is a diagnostic agent with no approved therapeutic indication.
- Test results are affected by proton pump inhibitors, which should generally be withheld beforehand.
Sources
- FDA approved-drug listing for secretin · U.S. Food & Drug Administration
- DailyMed prescribing information for secretin · NIH · DailyMed
- PubMed research on secretin pancreatic function autism trials · NIH · National Library of Medicine
- DrugBank record for secretin · DrugBank
Track Secretin in Peptide Vault
Log every dose, set reminders on your own schedule, rotate injection sites and keep your vials organized. Peptide Vault records what you enter. It doesn't recommend compounds or doses. iPhone, on-device.
Related compounds
Secretin FAQ
What is Secretin?
Secretin is a 27-amino-acid gastrointestinal hormone, produced synthetically and used diagnostically to assess exocrine pancreatic function, to identify gastrinoma, and to aid cannulation of the pancreatic duct during ERCP.
How does Secretin work?
Secretin is released from duodenal S cells in response to acid and stimulates the pancreatic ductal epithelium to secrete a bicarbonate-rich fluid. Administering it and collecting the resulting pancreatic secretions measures exocrine reserve. In gastrinoma it produces a paradoxical rise in gastrin — normal gastric G cells are inhibited by secretin, whereas gastrinoma cells respond by increasing gastrin release, which is the diagnostic signature.
Is Secretin FDA approved?
Yes. Secretin is approved by the U.S. FDA and has official prescribing information. Evidence level: approved labeling. Official prescribing information exists, based on clinical trials in people.
What is the half-life of Secretin?
Reported half-life: Approximately 45 minutes.
How is Secretin taken?
Intravenous injection in a diagnostic setting.
What side effects have been reported with Secretin?
Reported in the sources: It was widely promoted as a treatment for autism in the late 1990s. Multiple randomised controlled trials subsequently found no benefit, and this use is not supported. It remains one of the clearer examples of an intervention adopted enthusiastically before evidence; Hypersensitivity reactions, including rare anaphylaxis; Transient abdominal discomfort, nausea and flushing; It is a diagnostic agent with no approved therapeutic indication; Test results are affected by proton pump inhibitors, which should generally be withheld beforehand.
Educational summary compiled from the sources listed above. Not medical advice. Peptide Vault does not sell, source or recommend any compound. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting or changing anything.