title: Gastrokinetic effects of erythromycin: myogenic and neurogenic mechanisms of action in rabbit stomach.
abstract: The aims of this study were to determine regional differences and the mechanism of gastric contractile effects of erythromycin. Rabbit gastric circular muscle strips were studied in vitro. The threshold dose for erythromycin was significantly less and the maximum contraction greater in the antrum (1 microM and 0.9 +/- 0.3 kg/cm2) than in the fundus (10 microM and 0.3 +/- 0.1 kg/cm2). Erythromycin-induced antral contractions were decreased by motilin tachyphylaxis but unaffected by tetrodotoxin, atropine, hexamethonium, or ondansetron. At a subthreshold dose (0.1 microM), erythromycin increased the frequency, but not the amplitude, of bethanechol (10 +/- 3%)-and substance P-induced (13 +/- 5%) phasic antral contractions. This chronotropic effect was inhibited with tetrodotoxin, atropine, or motilin tachyphylaxis. Erythromycin (10 microM) and motilin (1 microM) enhanced the amplitude of substance P-induced tonic fundic contractions by 38 and 32%, respectively, without effect on bethanechol-induced contractions. In summary, erythromycin contracts antral muscle more potently and forcefully than fundic muscle. Erythromycin increases antral contractility by two mechanisms: an inotropic effect acting on smooth muscle motilin receptors, and, at lower doses, a cholinergic chronotropic effect mediated through neuronal motilin receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Parkman
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vozzelli
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D018674:Adrenergic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D018723:Bethanechol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005748:Gastric Fundus / Q000187:drug effects; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D009037:Motilin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D013270:Stomach / Q000294:innervation*; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018674:Adrenergic Antagonists; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D018723:Bethanechol; D013373:Substance P; D009037:Motilin; D004917:Erythromycin