Intestinal electric stimulation decreases fat absorption in rats: therapeutic potential for obesity.
OBJECTIVE
Effective treatment of obesity is based on the restriction of food intake or reduction of absorption or both. The aim of this study was to study whether intestinal electric stimulation (IES) would reduce fat absorption and, thus, would be a potential therapy for obesity.


METHODS
Forty rats implanted with serosal electrodes and two jejunal cannulas were divided into 4 groups of 10 each: control (no stimulation), IES with long pulses, IES with trains of short pulses, and IES with trains of short pulses plus treatment with lidocaine. Jejunal transit and fat absorption of a 20-cm jejunal segment (between two cannulas) were investigated during a 45-minute period with or without IES.


RESULTS
It was found that both methods of IES accelerated intestinal transit measured by recovery of phenol red and increased the percentage of triglycerides recovered from the distal cannula in comparison with the control group. IES with trains of short pulses was more effective than IES with long pulses in accelerating jejunal transit and reducing fat absorption. Neither of the two IES methods altered the output of fatty acids from the distal cannula. The effects of IES with trains of short pulses on the transit and fat absorption were partially abolished with the treatment of lidocaine.


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that IES accelerates intestinal transit and reduces fat absorption, suggesting a therapeutic potential for obesity. IES with trains of short pulses is more effective than IES with long pulses, and its effects are partially mediated by enteric nerves, jejunum.
Sun
Ying
Y
Transneuronix Research and Veterans Research, 301 University Boulevard, 221 Microbiology Building, 1108 The Strand, Galveston, TX 77555-0632, USA.
Chen
Jiande
J
D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007583:Jejunum / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D014280:Triglycerides