ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the effect of prokinetic agents such as domperidone, mo-sapride, clarithromycin, and itopride on the electrical activity of the stomach and duodenum in SD rats, and also to explore the mechanism. Methods The organism functional experiment system BL-420E was used to record the myoelectrical activity in the stomach and duodenum of SD rats in all groups using domperidone, mosapride, itopride, clarithromycin, and physiological saline on the inter-digestive phase. The effect of the prokinetic agents on the amplitude and freqency of gastric and duo-denal electromyologram in the SD rats was compared. The antagonists such as atropine, phento-lamine, and propranolol were added to investigate the mechanism of action with all prokinetic agents. Results All prokinetic agents increased the amplitude and frequency of gastric and duodenal fast waves in the SD rats (P<0.05). The effect of itopride was the most obvious among the 3 groups (P<0.05), and clarithromycin had the weakest effect (P<0.05). The amplitude and frequency of gastric and duodenal fast waves in the SD rats in the groups of clarithromycin, domperidone, mosa-pride, itopride, and physiological saline were inhibited by atropine (P<0.05) , but not by phento-lamine and propranolol. Conclusion Itopride, mosapride, domperidone, and clarithromycin can in-crease the amplitude and frequency of gastric and duodenal fast waves in the SD rats. The mechanism may be related to cholinergic receptors, but not adrenergic receptors.