Effect of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose on gastrointestinal transit and luminal viscosity in dogs

The effects of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose on upper gastrointestinal transit, viscosity, and water flux were studied in six dogs fistulated at the proximal duodenum and/or mid-jejunum. Combinations of different grades of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose were prepared as 2% or 3.3% solutions to yield input viscosities of low (approximately 5000 cp at 37 degrees C and 1 s-1), medium (15,000 cp), or high (30,000 cp) viscosity. Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose modified intralumenal viscosity, with a linear relationship existing between input and lumenal viscosity. With regard to transit, the lag time before the onset of chyme recovery increased linearly as a function of luminal viscosity. There was also a pronounced decrease in the first-order emptying rate constant as lumenal viscosity increased from water to low-viscosity hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, but as viscosity was further increased there was little additional change. These results indicate that water-soluble fibers can exert a significant influence on both the lumenal viscosity and the transit profile in the upper gastrointestinal tract.