Effect of secoverine and atropine on intestinal secretion and motor activity in the rat small intestine in-vivo.

The actions of secoverine and atropine on bethanechol-induced intestinal secretion, hypermotility and transintestinal potential difference were investigated in the rat jejunum in-vivo. Both secoverine (10(-7) mol kg-1) and atropine (1.2 X 10(-9) mol kg-1) inhibited motility at doses that did not affect secretion or transintestinal potential difference. However, secoverine was a less potent antagonist of all the bethanechol-induced changes than atropine. Increases in transintestinal potential difference were more closely related to production of fluid secretion than to increases in motility.