[Effect of cholesterol on intestinal motility in rabbits in chronic experiments]

The motoricity of an isolated intestinal loop under the influence of cholesterol before and after blocking the cholinergic or adrenergic receptors was recorded in 8 rabbits in chronic experiments. The adrenergic receptors wereblocked by intravenous administration of phentolamine and propranol, whereas cholinergic ones by atropine. At the same time the total level of cholesterol in vesicular bile was determined by the method of Zlatkis in 10 rabbits, and that in the wall of the jejunum by the method of Lieberman and Burchart. It was shown that cholesterol caused decrease of pressure in the intestinal loop, which was 1.3-4.1 kPa, resulting from dilatation of the intestines, if its concentration reaches 1.3-5.2 mmol/l. After blocking the adrenergic receptors and administration of cholesterol, its dilatating effect on the intestines was not observed, but most often a pressure increase in the intestinal loop by 2.3 kPa. The total cholesterol level in vesicular bile was 33.3 mmol/l, while 55.9 mg/g of tissue in the wall of the jejunum. The above studies showed that cholesterol at certain concentrations has a dilatating effect on the intestines. The dilatating mechanism of cholesterol is connected with adrenergic receptors. The concentrations of cholesterol decreasing the motoric activity of intestines are found in the organism, e.g. in bile, blood or in the intestine wall itself.