Effect of indomethacin on gallbladder inflammation and contractility during acute cholecystitis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether the prostaglandin synthase inhibitor indomethacin reverses the inflammation and abnormal gallbladder contractility that occur after common bile duct ligation (CBDL), a model of acute cholecystitis.


METHODS
Gallbladder muscle contractility was studied in vitro in normal, CBDL, and sham-operated guinea pigs. Animals were treated with saline or indomethacin in vivo. Acetylcholine (ACh) was used to directly contract the muscle and electric field stimulation (EFS) to activate intrinsic nerves. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of muscle strips were scored for inflammation.


RESULTS
CBDL in saline-treated animals increased the inflammation score and decreased gallbladder muscle contractility to ACh and EFS. Indomethacin decreased the inflammation score and partly reversed the smooth muscle contractile response to ACh 6 and 24 h after CBDL, but not at 48 h. Indomethacin did not reverse the CBDL-induced decrease in nerve-evoked contractions.


CONCLUSIONS
Gallbladder inflammation and contractile dysfunction after CBDL are partly reversed with indomethacin at 6 and 24 h, but not at 48 h. This suggests that, early in the course of CBDL, the inflammation and contractile dysfunction are, in part, prostaglandin-mediated.
Parkman
H P
HP
Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA. hparkman@nimbus.temple.edu
James
A N
AN
Thomas
R M
RM
Bartula
L L
LL
Ryan
J P
JP
Myers
S I
SI
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000601:surgery; D016473:Gallbladder Emptying / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D011453:Prostaglandins; D007213:Indomethacin