Effects of an osmotically active agent on colonic transit.
It is unknown if sorbitol, a widely used laxative agent, accelerates colonic transit, and if these effects are modified by concomitant meal ingestion. Colonic transit was assessed by (111)In scintigraphy in 40 healthy subjects. After a 24-h scan, subjects received sorbitol (30 mL of 70% solution) or dextrose (30 mL of 70% solution), administered with or without a meal. Colonic transit, breath hydrogen excretion, and symptom scores were recorded for 4 h thereafter. VAS scores for flatulence, but not other symptoms increased (P = 0.004) by 13.1 +/- 6.3 mm (mean +/- SEM) on a 100 mm scale after sorbitol alone or sorbitol with a meal (by 18.9 +/- 7.2 mm), but not after dextrose. After adjusting for GC(24), sorbitol accelerated (P < 0.001) colonic transit (GC(28) = 3.0 +/- 0.3) compared with dextrose (GC(28) = 2.2 +/- 0.2), regardless of meal ingestion. Breath hydrogen excretion was correlated with the change in colonic transit (r = 0.52, P < 0.01) and with flatulence (r = 0.45, P = 0.003) after sugar ingestion. In healthy subjects, sorbitol accelerated colonic transit and increased flatulence but not other symptoms within 4 h, regardless of meal intake.
Skoog
S M
SM
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Bharucha
A E
AE
Camilleri
M
M
Burton
D D
DD
Zinsmeister
A R
AR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001944:Breath Tests; D002400:Cathartics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000209:etiology; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002400:Cathartics; D013012:Sorbitol; D006859:Hydrogen