Gastric acid and pepsin responses to substance P, physalaemin, eledoisin, and an eledoisin-related peptide, [Lys6]eledoisin-(6-11), were measured in gastrically and intestinally perfused cods. The intestinal perfusion maintains water balance and inhibits drinking. During basal conditions acid secretion was stimulated (approximately equal to 25%) by low doses (less than 0.13 nmol X kg-1 X h-1) of physalaemin and eledoisin. High doses (greater than 16 nmol X kg-1 X h-1) were inhibitory. Median and very high doses of substance P and eledoisin-related peptide, respectively, tended to stimulate acid secretion. All tachykinins were extremely efficacious pepsigogues. Physalaemin and eledoisin were the most potent (D50 approximately 10(-10) mol X kg-1 X h-1) but produced fading and submaximal responses at high doses. The fading persisted despite endogenous acidification produced by histamine stimulation. Relative to physalaemin, the potencies of substance P and eledoisin-related peptide were 0.04 and 0.001. The results suggest that some tachykinin may be a physiological stimulator of pepsin secretion and that the effect on acid secretion results from activation of both stimulatory and inhibitory pathways. The inhibitory component probably includes a cholinergic link. Gastric volume outflow increased during infusion of physalaemin, eledoisin, and (slightly) substance P. The response, which was not related to acid secretory rate (and conceivably not to volume secretion), suggests that a tachykinin may be involved also in the regulation of drinking.