title: Ghrelin improves burn-induced delayed gastrointestinal transit in rats.
abstract: Delayed gastrointestinal transit is common in patients with severe burn. Ghrelin is a potent prokinetic peptide. We aimed at testing the effect of ghrelin on burn-induced delayed gastrointestinal transit in rats. Gastric emptying (GE), intestinal transit (IT), and colonic transit (CT) studies were performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were randomized into two main groups as follows: sham injury and ghrelin-treated burn injury with doses of 0, 2, 5, and 10 nmol/rat ip 6 h after burn. Sham/burn injury was induced under anesthesia. Rats received a phenol red meal 20 min following ghrelin injection. Based on the most effective ghrelin dose, 1 mg/kg sc atropine was given 30 min before the ghrelin in one group of rats for each study. The rats in each group were killed 30-90 min later; their stomachs, intestines, and colons were harvested immediately, and the amount of phenol red recovered was measured. Percentage of gastric emptying (GE%) and geometric center for IT and CT were calculated. We found 1) severe cutaneous burn injury significantly delayed GE, IT, and CT compared with sham injury (P < 0.05); 2) ghrelin normalized both GE and IT, but not the CT; 3) the most effective dose of ghrelin was 2 nmol/rat; and 4) atropine blocked the prokinetic effects of ghrelin on GE% and IT. In conclusion, ghrelin normalizes burn-induced delayed GE and IT but has no effect on CT in rats. The prokinetic effects of ghrelin are exerted via the cholinergic pathway. Ghrelin may have a therapeutic potential for burn patients with delayed upper gastrointestinal transit.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine and Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sallam
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Herndon
authors.forename: J D Z
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002056:Burns / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D054439:Ghrelin; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010637:Phenolsulfonphthalein; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D054439:Ghrelin; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D001285:Atropine; D010637:Phenolsulfonphthalein