Gastrointestinal motor activity in conscious ferrets.

Gastrointestinal motility was measured with force transducers in conscious ferrets. The gastrointestinal motility pattern in both the interdigestive and digestive states was similar to that reported for humans. The activity front, phase III contractions of the migrating motor complex, occurred cyclically in the antrum and migrated to the duodenum and ileum in the interdigestive state, and relatively low-amplitude contractions were sustained in the antrum, duodenum and ileum in the digestive state. Colonic motility was characterized by basal relatively low-amplitude contractions and a single high-amplitude contraction preceding defecation. Cisapride (0.3-3 mg/kg s.c.) enhanced antral and colonic motility. This ferret model will help the investigation and evaluation of drug effects on gastrointestinal motility in humans.