[Possible significance of prostaglandins in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease].

Prostaglandins (E1, E2, F2alpha) produce and intensify peristaltic contractions in the healthy human intestinal muscle system according to dosage (threshold I-10(-4) microng/ml--maximum effective concentration 1 microng/ml). By subsequent introduction of adrenaline, the intestinal muscle system activated by prostaglandines can be completely relaxed again. Intestinal muscles from patients with Crohn's disease show a marked deviation from this behaviour: 1. The intestinal muscle system is extremely sensitive to prostagladins: maximum concentrations are already reached by about a thousand times smaller concentration than in the intestines. 2. The dose of adrenaline does not lead to dialtion, which is usual, but to contraction of the muscle system. These changes in the contractility of the intestine can explain some components of the clinical symptomatology of Crohn's disease.