title: The effect of erythromycin on motility of the duodenum, sphincter of Oddi, and gallbladder in the prairie dog.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interdigestive motility of the stomach, duodenum, sphincter of Oddi, and gallbladder is mediated through the migrating myoelectric complex and the action of motilin. Erythromycin, a motilin agonist, has recently been studied as a gastrointestinal and biliary prokinetic agent. We hypothesized that erythromycin would increase interdigestive duodenal and sphincter of Oddi motility in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 10 anesthetized prairie dogs we determined the motility responses of the duodenum, sphincter of Oddi, and gallbladder to erythromycin infusion during a three-log dosing regimen and correlated activity with serum concentrations of the drug.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Erythromycin administered at 0.01 and 0.1 mg/kg had no effect on duodenal or sphincter motility. At 1.0 and 10 mg/kg, duodenal motility index increased by 451% +/- 114% and 1070% +/- 480%, respectively, when compared with baseline values, (p < 0.05). Sphincter of Oddi motility index increased by 122% +/- 38% and 323% +/- 99%, respectively, at these same doses of erythromycin (p < 0.05). Gallbladder pressure did not change significantly during erythromycin infusion. Erythromycin serum concentration at 1.0 mg/kg was 1.0 +/- 0.7 micrograms/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that erythromycin stimulates interdigestive motility of the duodenum and sphincter of Oddi in a dose-dependent manner at otherwise subtherapeutic concentrations of the drug.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Service, Baltimore Veterans Administration Medical Center, Md.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ahrendt
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Pitt
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lillemoe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004386:Duodenum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012589:Sciuridae; D009803:Sphincter of Oddi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C010948:erythromycin lactobionate; D004917:Erythromycin