The effect of nicotine (100 mug/kg hr-1) on serum secretin and pancreatic secretions was studied in dogs with chronic pancreatic fistulas. Release of immunoreactive secretin (IRS) was stimulated by intraduodenal infusion of HCl (9.6 mEq/30 min). Pancreatic flow rate and bicarbonate and protein secretions were stimulated either by intestinal acidification or infusion of exogenous secretin (1.0 IU/kg hr-1). It was found that nicotine delayed the appearance of peak IRS concentrations in response to intraduodenal HCl by about 20 min. However, nicotine had no effect on the total amount of IRS released nor was this delay accompanied by a similar delay in the appearance of peak bicarbonate output. Furthermore, nicotine did not affect pancreatic secretory function stimulated by either HCl or exogenous secretin. These data do not support the thesis that nicotine plays an important role in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcers in smokers by inhibiting the pancreatic secretion of bicarbonate.