Sphincter of Oddi and gastrointestinal motility disturbance following alcohol administration in the opossum.

Abstract

AbstractMyoelectric activity of the gastrointestinal tract and sphincter of Oddi was recorded in 7 awake opossums. The animals were subjected to gastrojejunostomy with duodenal exclusion to study the effect of alcohol on the gastric, duodenal, and jejunal mucosa. The response to intravenous infusion was also evaluated. Radioimmunoassay of motilin was performed in 5 other opossums during phases I, II, and III of the control migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) and during the phase III‐like activity following administration of alcohol. Phase III‐like activity was observed following infusion of alcohol into the duodenum in 26 studies (87%), into the stomach in 20 (67%), and intravenously in 9 (22%). Alcohol blood level after duodenal and intravenous instillation of ethanol was 45 and 190 mg/100 ml, respectively (8 experiments of each). There was no difference in the concentration of plasma motilin obtained during phase III‐like activity (41.5±4.6 pM/ml) and phase III of the MMC (35.6±4.7). We conclude that instillation of alcohol into the stomach or duodenum produces intense bursts of spike potentials in the sphincter of Oddi and duodenum. There is no correlation between alcohol blood levels and occurrence of this intense spike activity.