The effect of enprostil on duodeno-jejunal motility in man.

Motor changes could be involved in the pathogenesis of diarrhoea that complicates the treatment of ulcer disease by prostaglandins. Our aim was to assess the effect of enprostil, a synthetic analogue of PGE2, on duodeno-jejunal motility. During this randomized double-blind crossover study, two manometric recordings, each lasting 20 h (12.00-08.00 hours), were carried out during dosing with 35 micrograms enprostil b.d. or placebo (eight volunteers: part 1), or during dosing with 35 or 70 micrograms enprostil b.d. (nine volunteers: part 2). Subjects were only allowed a standard dinner at 18.00 hours. During fasting, in part 1, the number of phase 3 activity patterns (PIIIs) was higher with enprostil than with placebo (P less than 0.01), without any difference in their characteristics; the overall duration of phase 1 activity was longer with enprostil than with placebo (P less than 0.01). In part 2, during fasting the number and characteristics of the PIIIs were not different, but there was a dose-related increase in PI, and decrease in PII activity. Fed motor patterns did not differ between the two doses of enprostil.