Secretin is an enterogastrone that inhibits gastric acid secretion and motility. Recently, it was reported that secretin inhibited gastric emptying via a capsaicin (Cap)-sensitive vagal afferent pathway. However, a possible role of the sensory afferent pathway in secretin-inhibited acid secretion has not been clarified. We investigated whether or not the acid secretion suppressed by secretin is modulated by a vagal and/or splanchnic afferent pathway in rats. Subdiaphragmatic perivagal (PV) or periceliac ganglionic (PCG) application of Cap (10 mg/ml) or vehicle was performed in both conscious and anesthetized rats 2 wk before experiments. Bilateral vagotomy was performed in some conscious rats 5 days before studies. Pentagastrin was administered intravenously at 0.6 microg . kg-1 . h-1. Secretin (20 pmol . kg-1 . h-1 iv) or 0.03 N HCl (4.32 ml/h id) was infused in conscious rats with gastric cannulas or anesthetized rats with ligation of the pylorus, respectively. A rabbit antisecretin serum was injected in some anesthetized rats before duodenal acidification. Secretin significantly inhibited pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion by 63% (P < 0.01), which was abolished by both vagotomy and PV treatment of Cap in conscious rats. In anesthetized rats, duodenal infusion of 0.03 N HCl suppressed pentagastrin-induced acid secretion by 59.4% (P < 0.01), which was reversed not only by antisecretin serum but also by PV application of Cap. However, PCG treatment with Cap did not influence the inhibition by secretin or duodenal acidification in either awake or anesthetized rats. These results indicate that the inhibition by secretin of pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion is mediated by a Cap-sensitive vagal afferent pathway but not via a splanchnic afferent pathway in rats.