Action of Morphine Sulphate on Intestinal Motility and its Modification by Atropine Sulphate

Abstract

The experiments were conducted on unanesthetized female dogs with weights ranging between 12-18 kg. Two Thiery Vella loops of adjacent parts of the ileum were prepared, which enabled us to record, in the same dog simultaneously, changes in tone, rhythmic and peristaltic movements in one loop by the balloon method,1 and the actual propulsive activity in the second loop. For the latter purpose the method of Quigley, Highstone and Ivy was followed; the bolus used was made of rubber crepe of fine quality soaked in liquid paraffin.2Morphine sulphate in doses of 1 mg. per kilo injected subcutan-eously causes an increase in tone, diminishes segmentary movements and abolishes peristaltic waves. This confirms the results of the experiments of Plant and Miller.3The propulsive activity after this dose of morphine is at first increased and this initial increase in the speed of propulsion is later followed by a marked decrease. While the normal time for a bolus to pass through an intestinal loop of 9-10 cm. in length ...