[Effect of picomolar intracerebroventricular administration of calcitonin on intestinal motility in the rat (author's transl)].

Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of Calcitonin was performed in fed Rats, fitted with chronically implanted electrodes to record the electrical activity of the duodeno-jejunum. At 0.02 u/ICV Calcitonin restored in less than 5 min. the fasted pattern i.e. the migrating myoelectric complex which was previously disrupted by the meal. This effect observed at the lowest dose used (0.083 pmole) required 100 times higher doses by systemic injection and was antagonized by a previous ICV administration of calcium gluconate. It was concluded that Calcitonin is able to suppress the effects of digestive factors responsible for the disruption of the MMC pattern after a meal, this action being related to the ventricular calcium level.