TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of different prokinetic agents and a novel enterokinetic agent on postoperative ileus in rats JF - Gut JO - Gut SP - 713 LP - 718 DO - 10.1136/gut.45.5.713 VL - 45 IS - 5 AU - B Y De Winter AU - G E Boeckxstaens AU - J G De Man AU - T G Moreels AU - J A J Schuurkes AU - T L Peeters AU - A G Herman AU - P A Pelckmans Y1 - 1999/11/01 UR - http://gut.bmj.com/content/45/5/713.abstract N2 - BACKGROUND/AIM The effects of different prokinetic agents, the motilide erythromycin and the substituted benzamides metoclopramide and cisapride, were investigated in a rat model of postoperative ileus. These effects were compared with that of granisetron, a 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT3) receptor antagonist, and a novel enterokinetic agent, prucalopride, a 5-HT4 receptor agonist.METHODS Different degrees of inhibition of gastrointestinal transit, measured by the migration of Evans blue, were achieved by skin incision, laparotomy, or laparotomy plus mechanical stimulation of the gut.RESULTS Metoclopramide decreased the transit after laparotomy with or without mechanical stimulation, whereas cisapride increased it after all three operations. Granisetron had no effect on the transit after the three operations when given alone. Prucalopride tended to increase the transit after laparotomy with or without mechanical stimulation when given alone. However, statistical significance was only reached when prucalopride was combined with granisetron. Erythromycin, a motilin receptor agonist, did not improve postoperative ileus in the rat.CONCLUSIONS Cisapride, but not metoclopramide or erythromycin, is able to improve postoperative ileus in the rat. The results suggest that a combination of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and 5-HT4 receptor agonist properties may be required to obtain a beneficial effect on surgery induced ileus in the rat. Furthermore, they indirectly indicate that stimulation of the excitatory mechanisms is not able to overcome the inhibitory influence of the neural reflex pathways activated during abdominal surgery.5-HT5-hydroxytryptamine ER -