Effect of duodenal bile acid delivery on fasting intestinal motor activity

Fasting duodenal bile acid delivery is pulsatile and is cyclically coordinated with the duodenal migrating myoelectric complex (MMC). To determine whether duodenal bile acid delivery influences the duodenal cycle period (CP) of the MMC or the intensity of duodenal motor activity, three dogs were prepared with a duodenal cannula, permitting cannulation of the common bile duct, duodenal infusion, and manometry. CP was measured with the enterohepatic circulation intact and after the common bile duct was cannulated to divert endogenous bile from the duodenum during continuous duodenal infusion (1.6 ml/min) of 0, 2.5, 12.5, or 25 mM sodium taurocholic acid in 154 mM NaCl. During a second protocol with the enterohepatic circulation intact, a control and subsequent CP were measure, and a pulse (1 ml/min for 10 min) of pooled dog bile (112 mM total bile acids) or 0, 20, 80, or 140 mM sodium taurocholic acid in 154 mM NaCl was infused into the duodenum at 40% of the second CP (as estimated from control CP). A motility index was calculated for an interval commencing at 40% of the control CP and at the start of pulse infusion in the succeeding CP. There was no significant difference in CP with the enterohepatic circulation intact compared with that during continuous duodenal infusion of sodium taurocholic acid. There was no significant change in CP or motility index after premature pulse infusion of sodium taurocholic acid or pooled dog bile. Variation in duodenal bile acid delivery did not modulate intensity of duodenal motor activity or cycling of the MMC.