Effect of enterokinetic prucalopride on intestinal motility in fast rats

To evaluate the effects of prucalopride on intestinal prokinetic activity in fast rats and to provide experimental basis for clinical treatment of gastrointestinal motility diseases.

Gastrointestinal propulsion rate was measured by the migration rate of activated charcoal, which reflexes gastrointestinal motility function. 120 Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups and received an intravenous injection of physiological saline (served as control), prucalopride 1 mg/kg, prucalopride 2 mg/kg and cisapride 1 mg/kg, respectively. The gastrointestinal propulsion rate was measured 1, 2 or 4 hours after intravenous injection of the drugs.

Significant accelerations of gastrointestinal propulsion rate in prucalopride 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg groups were found compared with control group at 2 and 4 hours(83.2 %+/-5.5 %, 81.7 %+/-8.5 % vs 70.5 %+/-9.2 %, P<0.01; 91.2 %+/-2.2 %, 91.3 %+/-3.9 % vs 86.8 %+/-2.6 %, P<0.01). The gastrointestinal propulsion rates at 1, 2 or 4 hours were faster in prucalopride 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg groups than in cisapride group (84.0 %+/-11.7 %, 77.1 %+/-11.9 % vs 66.3 %+/-13.6 %, P<0.01, P<0.05; 83.2 %+/-5.5 %, 81.7 %+/- 8.5 % vs 75.4 %+/-5.9 %, P<0.01, P<0.05; 91.2 %+/-2.2 %, 91.3 %+/-3.9 % vs 88.6 %+/-3.5 %,P<0.05, P<0.05). No difference of gastrointestinal propulsion rate was found between prucalopride 1 mg/kg group and prucalopride 2 mg/kg group (P>0.05).

Prucalopride accelerates intestinal motility in fast rats, and has no dose dependent effect.