Effect of sodium butyric acid, sodium valerianic acid, and osmolarity on contractility of specimens of intestinal wall obtained from the cecum and spiral colon of healthy cows

Objective-To compare the effect of various concentrations of sodium butyric acid and sodium valerianic acid, as well as various osmolarities, on contr actility of ex-vivo intestinal wail specimens obtained from the cecum and s piral colon of each of several healthy cows. Sample Population-Full-thickness preparations of intestinal wall, dissected parallel to the longitudinal smooth muscle layers, harvested from freshly slaughtered healthy cows. Procedure-Specimens of intestinal wall were incubated for 5 minutes with va rious concentrations of sodium butyric acid and sodium valerianic acid as w ell as various osmolar concentrations of NaCl, using a crossover design. Is ometric contractions were induced 7 times with carbachol (CH; 5 X 10(-6) mo l/L). Contractility was defined as the maximum amplitude of contraction and the amplitude of contraction 2 minutes after addition of CH. Results-Repeated addition of CH did not result in a significant effect on c ontractility of specimens from the cecum and spiral colon. Contractility af ter addition of CH was not significantly affected by prior incubation with various concentrations of sodium butyric acid or sodium valerianic acid or after an increase of osmolarity. Maximum amplitude of contraction was signi ficantly higher in specimens from the spiral colon, compared with specimens from the cecum. Conclusions-Increases in concentrations of. sodium butyric acid or sodium v alerianic acid and increases in osmolarity did not inhibit contractility of intestinal wall specimens from the cecum and spiral colon of a group of he althy cows.