Pilot study of the effect of vitamin B6 on the motility of guinea pigs ileum: possible implications for human intestinal motility.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of vitamin B6 and neostigmine on the intestinal motility of guinea pigs, to obtain beneficial effects on human health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Segments of the ileum of guinea pigs have been removed and mounted in an organ bath in order to record their motility when treated with vitamin B6, atropine and neostigmine. This motility has been compared with the contraction produced by acetylcholine. These substances were injected into the cuvette of the apparatus both singularly and in combination.

RESULTS

The isolated segments of the ileum of guinea pigs exposed to vitamin B6 (5.91 x 10(-8) M) have asthenic contraction of 59.38 + 11.28 (mean + SD) compared with the peak observed for acetylcholine. When atropine (2.76 x 10(-7) M) was administered during the contraction produced by the vitamin B6, the contraction was blocked. Neostigmine (1.50 x 10(-5) M) on its own produced asthenic contraction 59.16 + 10.11 (mean + SD) compared with the peak observed for acetylcholine. Neostigmine administered after vitamin B6 (5.91 x 10(-8) and 1.48 x 10(-7) M) produces a mean contraction of 104.50 + 8.77 and 108.8 + 12.65 (mean + SD) compared with acetylcholine.

CONCLUSIONS

Data reported show that vitamin B6 has an effect on the motility of the ileum of guinea pigs. The contraction produced by the combination of vitamin B6 and neostigmine is greater and more prolonged than that produced by neostigmine alone. This association could improve the efficacy of neostigmine to resolve intestinal asthenia as quickly as possible to obtain beneficial effects on human health.