Mechanisms underlying the intestinal fluid secretion evoked by nociceptive serosal stimulation of the rat

Summary

Intestinal net fluid transport was measured in vivo continuously with a gravimetric method. Chemical stimulation of the jejunal serosa with hydrochloric acid (0.1 M), ethanol (20%), cat bile or 7-deoxycholic acid (10 mM) evoked an intestinal fluid secretion. Hexamethonium (10 mg/kg b. wt. i. v.) or serosal application of lidocaine (1% solution) partially blocked this secretory response. Bradykinin and prostaglandin E₁, two important inflammatory mediators, elicited fluid secretion when applied to the serosal surface at a concentration of 10⁻⁴M. This secretion was also partly inhibited by hexamethonium. Furthermore indomethacin (10 mg/kg b. wt. i. v.) or pyrilamine (10 mg/kg b. wt. i. v.), a H₁-receptor blocker, partly inhibited the secretory response caused by chemical stimulation of the serosa while cimetidine (1 mg/kg b. wt. i. v.), a H₂-receptor blocker, had no effect. Freeze sectioned samples from chemically stimulated intestines were examined by fluorescence microscopy. A leakage of i. v. administrated Evans blue labelled albumin into the interstitial space of the serosa and the outer layer of the muscularis was found.

It is concluded: (1) The intestinal fluid secretion studied is mainly elicited by nociceptive stimulation of nerves in the serosa or the outer muscularis. (2) The reflex may be activated by the local release of histamine, kinins and prostaglandins. (3) The reflex studied is part of an inflammatory response.