We investigated the effects of oleic acid in the duodenum on pancreatic exocrine secretion and plasma secretin, and determined the role of cholinergic dependence on pancreatic secretion and secretin release in response to oleic acid in anesthetized rats. Oleic acid emulsion (pH 6.5) in three different doses of 0.06, 0.25, and 1 mmol/h was infused intraduodenally for 1 h with or without intravenous administration of atropine in a dose of 100 micrograms/kg/h. Intraduodenal administration of oleic acid resulted in significant increases in pancreatic juice volume and bicarbonate output, in a dose-related manner (p less than 0.001). Plasma secretin concentration caused dose-dependent elevation (p less than 0.001) by oleic acid, which correlated very well with bicarbonate output in response to oleic acid (p less than 0.001). Atropine inhibited pancreatic secretion including juice volume and bicarbonate output stimulated by oleic acid in each dose, statistically significantly (p less than 0.05-0.01), but did not affect plasma secretin concentration. Thus, we conclude that oleic acid in the duodenum stimulates pancreatic secretion and endogenous secretin release in rats, and that secretin release is not influenced by the cholinergic tone, although pancreatic secretory response is inhibited significantly.