Influence of platelet activating factor on gastrointestinal electrical activity and some haematological and clinical parameters in the conscious miniature pig

The effects of intravenous (i.v.) infusion of platelet-activating factor (P AF), 100 ng/kg/min for 10 min, with and without pretreatment with a selecti ve PAF-antagonist on gastrointestinal electrical activity, arterial pressur e and clinical and haematological parameters were studied. Conscious miniat ure pigs with electrodes implanted in the wall of the antrum pylori and sma ll and large intestine were used. Platelet-activating factor induced restle ssness or depression, shivering, tachypnoea and coughing, retching and vomi ting, hypotension and a delayed and sustained increase in leucocyte count w ith an increase in percentage of segmented neutrophils. The PAF-antagonist, SAH 63-675, administered at 10 mg/kg intravenously, inhibited these effect s, Platelet-activating factor resulted in a decrease in electrical activity in the antrum and large intestine, whereas small intestinal activity was n ot significantly influenced, Pretreatment with the antagonist suppressed th ese inhibitory effects.