TONIC RESPONSES OF CANINE PROXIMAL COLON - EFFECTS OF EATING, NUTRIENTS, AND SIMULATED DIARRHEA

Our hypothesis was that the proximal colon relaxes to accommodate flow from the ileum. Therefore, we recorded tonic responses of the canine proximal colon to flow through the ileum and colon stimulated by 1) an 840-kcal meal, 2) nutrients perfused into the ileum and colon, or 3) rapid infusion of saline into the ileum with overflow into the colon. Saline infusion was considered to be a model of diarrhea, and the effe cts of an antidiarrheal (morphine sulfate) were therefore assessed. Pr oximal colonic tone was measured with a barostat. Tone increased befor e and after the arrival of chyme in the ileocolonic region. Perfusion of nutrients into the ileum and colon also significantly increased (P < 0.05) colonic tone compared with equal volumes of saline. Rapid perf usion of the ileocolonic segment with saline increased colonic tone; t his increase was significantly greater (P < 0.01) when preceded by mor phine. In contrast to our hypothesis, tone of the canine proximal colo n increased in response to ileal flow. The increase in colonic tone du ring the late response to food was at least partly attributable to sti mulation by intraluminal contents.