Somatostatin inhibits motilin-induced interdigestive contractile activity in the dog.

The interaction between motilin and somatostatin on gastrointestinal motor activity was studied in fasted, unanesthetized dogs. Contractions of the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were recorded with extraluminal strain gage force transducers. Motilin initiated a pattern of contractile activity which closely resembled phase III of the interdigestive motor complex. Somatostatin delayed the onset of the motilin response and reduced motor activity in the stomach and the jejunum. During somatstatin infusion the motilin-induced contractile pattern did not migrate to the jejunum. The cycle of natural interdigestive motor complexes was also interrupted by somatostatin. Somatostatin alters natural and motilin-induced interdigestive migrating motor complexes of the canine gastrointestinal tract.