Background & Aims: Lipopolysaccharide-induced colonic dysmotility using an in vivo rat model was examined in this study. Methods: Six days prior to the experiment, force transducers were sutured to the proximal colons of the rats. On the day of the experiment, while monitoring colonic contractions, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)(1mg/kg) was given intravenously. Results: LPS injections induced abnormal high amplitude colonic contractions within 15 to 30 min in all the rats tested. After the period of these abnormal waves, motility gradually decreased. These high amplitude contractions were partly suppressed by atropine, a nonspecific cholinergic receptor antagonist. Conclusions: These results...

Springer-Verlag Description Background Adrenomedullin is a vasodilator peptide that displays a variety of effects, such as hypotension and vasodilatation. The aim of this study was to test the effect of intravenous adrenomedullin on the motility pattern of the small intestine, and the functional involvement of adrenomedullin in endotoxin-induced small-intestinal motility disturbance. Methods Jejunal motility was recorded in fasted conscious rats, using miniature strain-gauge force transducers sutured to the serosal surface of the small-intestinal wall. Results Intravenous administration of adrenomedullin at doses of 3, 6, and 10 µg/kg per min over 30 min disrupted phase 3 of the migrating...

Severe bacterial infection causes gastrointestinal dysmotility by an unknown mechanism. We investigated the possible involvement of serotonin (5-HT) and nitric oxide (NO) in endotoxin-induced motility disturbance, using an in vivo rat model. Six days prior to the experiment, a force transducer was sutured to the gastric antrum of rats. Lipopolysaccharide induced strong repetitive contractions in the gastric antrum within 2 to 3 min in all rats tested. After 15 min of hypermotility, motility decreased and remained low for more than 60 min. The initial increase in motility was suppressed by atropine, FK1052, or SB204070, whereas it was not affected by granisetron. The subsequent decrease was...