EFFECT OF ESTRADIOL ON RAT ILEUM

1. Sex hormones may influence gastrointestinal motility and thus may b e responsible for symptoms that are common during pregnancy or hormone replacement therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ef fect of estradiol on the gut. 2. Segments of rat ileum (n = 9) were su spended in an organ bath and exposed to increasing concentrations of c arbachol, in the presence or absence of 17 beta-estradiol. 17 beta-est radiol markedly reduced the force developed by the ileum in response t o carbachol. 3. These results suggest that estradiol reduces gastroint estinal motility, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.