Effect of glyceryl trinitrate on proximal stomach musculature in normal volunteers.

UNLABELLED

The effect of GTN on stomach is unknown although there is evidence that nitric oxide, the active component of GTN have a mediator role in the upper gastrointestinal tract. By the use of a newly developed barostat technique it was investigated the effect of GTN on gastric fundal tone and contractions.

METHOD

measurements were done 1 hour before an 1 hour after the administration of either 500 micrograms sublingual GTN and 5 mg buccal GTN or a placebo in 7 healthy individuals (14 experiments) by recording variations in the volume of air within an intragastric bag that was maintained at a constant pressure of 12 mmHg by the barostat.

RESULTS

a significant increase in intrabag volume of 99.74 +/- 28.34 ml (mean +/- SEM) (p < 0.01) was recorded after GTN administration; a not significant (p > 0.01) increase in volume of 24.34 +/- 16.23 ml was after placebo. There was no significant difference between the frequency of contractions before and after drug or placebo administration.

CONCLUSION

after systemic and constant administration of GTN a constant reduction in gastric fundal tone is produced with no change of fundal contractions.