Myenteric Denervation of the Gut with Benzalkonium Chloride: A Review of Forty Years of an Experimental Model.

Sérgio Britto Garcia,Stefânia Bovo Minto,Isabela De Souza Marques,Vinicius Kannen

doi:10.1155/2019/3562492

Abstract

Experimental denervation of organs plays a key role in understanding the functional aspects of the normal innervation as well as the diseases related to them. In 1978 the experimental model of myenteric denervation of the rat gut by serosal application of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) was proposed. BAC is a positively charged surface-active alkylamine and is a powerful cationic detergent, which destroys bacteria after ionic attraction and for this reason is largely used as a surgical antiseptic. Since its initial report, the BAC-induced myenteric denervation model has been used to study many functional and pathological aspects of the enteric nervous system. So far this is the only pure method of myenteric denervation available for research in this area. Promising reports in the literature have shed light on the possibilities for the development of new uses of the BAC-denervation experimental model as a therapeutic tool in some pathological situations. This review aims to shed light on the main historical and recent findings provided by this experimental model.

Highlights

Innervation and Pathology of the GutThe gut is extrinsically innervated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system and intrinsically innervated by the enteric nervous system (ENS)
Experimental denervation of organs plays a key role in understanding the functional aspects of the normal innervation as well as the diseases related to them
This review aims to shed light on the main historical and recent findings provided by this experimental model

Summary

Innervation and Pathology of the Gut

The gut is extrinsically innervated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system and intrinsically innervated by the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ENS is a collection of millions of neurons that controls or is involved in virtually all the gut functions [1] It acts largely independently from the central nervous system, as for example the well documented presence of the intestinal peristalsis “in vitro” [2]. The ENS has sensorial receptors and afferents, as well as motor and integrative neurons Such complexity and independent functions have led to the proposal to classify the ENS as a third division of the autonomic nervous system, along with the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions [3]. A review has discussed the main clinical primary enteric neuropathies: achalasia, gastroparesis, intestinal pseudoobstruction, and chronic constipation [4]. These neuropathies can be experimentally simulated by the BAC-induced myenteric denervation, as we will further discuss of this text

Experimental Models of Gut Denervation

Intrinsic Denervation of the Gut with Benzalkonium Chloride

Effects of Myenteric Denervation by BAC on the Organs of the Digestive Tract

Findings

Conclusions