Effect of bethanechol or erythromycin on gastric emptying in horses.
Abstract: To investigate the prokinetic effect of bethanechol and erythromycin in the upper gastrointestinal tract of healthy horses by measuring the gastric emptying (GE) rate of a radioactive meal. Methods: 4 healthy adult horses. Methods: After food was withheld for 12 hours, horses were given 370 MBq of 99mTc-labeled sulfur colloid incorporated into egg albumen and 37 MBq of 111In-labeled diethyltriaminepentaacetic acid in 120 ml of water via nasogastric intubation. Intravenously administered treatments were 0.9% NaCl solution, erythromycin (0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg of body weight), or bethanechol (0.25 mg/kg). All drugs were given in 10 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution. Dual-phase scintigraphic images were obtained by use of a gamma camera. The best-fit function was determined for each study, and the resultant curves were then analyzed by use of least squares nonlinear regression. Two variables, time to 50% emptying of the stomach (T-50) and slope of the emptying curve, were derived from the calculated power exponential equation. Conclusions: Treatment had a significant (P < 0.05) overall effect on T-50 of solid-phase GE. The T-50 of bethanechol (30.09 +/- 10.01 minutes), erythromycin at 0.1 mg/kg (59.08 +/- 10.01 minutes), and erythromycin at 1 mg/kg (60.50 +/- 10.01 minutes) were significantly shorter than T-50 after saline administration (89.97 +/- 10.01 minutes). There was a trend (P = 0.09) for the slope of solid-phase GE of bethanechol and erythromycin (0.1 mg/ kg; P = 0.37) to be steeper than that of saline solution. For liquid-phase GE, the T-50 and the slope of bethanechol differed significantly (P < or = 0.05) from those for saline solution. Conclusions: Bethanechol and erythromycin significantly increased solid-phase GE in healthy horses and may have value for use as prokinetic agents in certain gastrointestinal tract diseases.
Publication Date: 1996-12-01 PubMed ID: 8950433
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research explored the effect of bethanechol and erythromycin on the gastric emptying rate in horses. The study found that these drugs significantly improved the process and could be beneficial as prokinetic agents for certain gastrointestinal diseases.
Research Methodology
- The researchers involved four healthy adult horses for the study.
- The horses were made to fast for 12 hours prior to the experiment.
- Thereafter, they were fed with a radioactive meal containing 370 MBq of 99mTc-labeled sulfur colloid and egg albumen, and 37 MBq of 111In-labeled diethyltriaminepentaacetic acid in 120 ml of water through a nasogastric tube.
- This was followed by intravenous treatments of 0.9% NaCl solution, erythromycin (dosed at 0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg body weight), or bethanechol (dosed at 0.25 mg/kg). All treatments were administered in 10 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution.
- Gastric emptying process in the horses was then captured using a gamma camera for dual-phase scintigraphic images. These images provided data on the amount and rate of gastric emptying.
Data Analysis
- The data from the tests were analyzed using the least squares nonlinear regression method, resulting in best-fit functions for each study.
- The team derived the time to 50% emptying of the stomach (T-50) and the slope of the emptying curve from the calculated power exponential equation. These variables served as indicators of the gastric emptying process.
Results
- All treatments showed a significant effect on the T-50 timing of solid-phase gastric emptying. Specifically, T-50 timings for bethanechol (30.09 +/- 10.01 minutes) and erythromycin (59.08 +/- 10.01 minutes for 0.1mg/kg and 60.50 +/- 10.01 minutes for 1 mg/kg) were considerably shorter than the T-50 after saline administration (89.97 +/- 10.01 minutes).
- There was a statistical trend showing the slope of solid-phase gastric emptying of bethanechol and lower dose erythromycin to be steeper than the saline solution. This indicates more efficient and quicker gastric emptying.
- For liquid-phase gastric emptying, both T-50 and slope for bethanechol had significant differences compared to saline solution.
Conclusions
- The study posits major significance for both bethanechol and erythromycin as they increased the solid-phase gastric emptying rate in healthy horses.
- These results suggest that these drugs could be used as prokinetic agents in treating certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Cite This Article
APA
Ringger NC, Lester GD, Neuwirth L, Merritt AM, Vetro T, Harrison J.
(1996).
Effect of bethanechol or erythromycin on gastric emptying in horses.
Am J Vet Res, 57(12), 1771-1775.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Island Whirl Equine Colic Research Laboratory, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 2610-0136, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bethanechol / pharmacology
- Erythromycin / pharmacology
- Gastric Emptying / drug effects
- Horses
- Indium Radioisotopes
- Pentetic Acid
- Radionuclide Imaging
- Stomach / diagnostic imaging
- Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Zakia LS, Gomez DE, Kenney DG, Arroyo LG. Sabulous cystitis in the horse: 13 cases (2013-2020). Can Vet J 2021 Jul;62(7):743-750.
- Mamaghani A, Maham M, Dalir-Naghadeh B. Effects of ginger extract on smooth muscle activity of sheep reticulum and rumen. Vet Res Forum 2013 Spring;4(2):91-7.
- Rashnavadi M, Nouri M, Haji Hajikolaei MR, Najafzadeh H, Constable PD. Effect of spiramycin and tulathromycin on abomasal emptying rate in milk-fed calves. Can J Vet Res 2014 Jan;78(1):61-7.
- El-Khodery SA, Sato M. Ultrasonographic assessment of the reticular motility in cows after administration of different doses of metoclopramide and neostigmine. Vet Res Commun 2008 Aug;32(6):473-80.
- Pfeiffer JB, Mevissen M, Steiner A, Portier CJ, Meylan M. In vitro effects of bethanechol on specimens of intestinal smooth muscle obtained from the duodenum and jejunum of healthy dairy cows. Am J Vet Res 2007 Mar;68(3):313-22.
- Koenig J, Cote N. Equine gastrointestinal motility--ileus and pharmacological modification. Can Vet J 2006 Jun;47(6):551-9.
- Kuo WH, Wadwa KS, Ferris CD. Cephalosporin antibiotics accelerate gastric emptying in mice. Dig Dis Sci 1998 Aug;43(8):1690-4.
- Valk N, Doherty TJ, Blackford JT, Abraha TW, Frazier DL. Phenylbutazone prevents the endotoxin-induced delay in gastric emptying in horses. Can J Vet Res 1998 Jul;62(3):214-7.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
