Effects of adrenalectomy and adrenal enucleation on liquid gastric emptying in rats

The effects of adrenalectomy and adrenal enucleation on liquid gastric empt ying were studied in male Wistar rats that were adrenalectomized, adrenal e nucleated (AE) or sham operated (SH). The animals in the first group had fr ee access to a 1% NaCl solution (ADS), while the animals in the second and third groups were divided into two subgroups, which ingested either tap wat er (AEW, SHW) or 1% NaCl solution (AES, SHS). The gastric emptying study wa s performed on the 16th post-operative day. Three test meals labeled with p henol red (6 mg/dl) were used (0.9% NaCl, 1.8% NaCl and 5% glucose). Percen t gastric retention was determined 10 min after orogastric infusion of the NaCl test meals and 15 min after the glucose meal. Gastric retention of the ADS subgroup was significantly lower (P<0.01) (median = 19.8% vs 25.5% for SHW, vs 31.9% for SHS, vs 25.7% for AEW, and vs 27.1% for AES) for the 0.9 % NaCl test meal and for the 1.8% NaCl test meal (33.5% for ADS vs 47.5% fo r AEW and 50.6% for AES), When 5% glucose was used as a test meal, gastric retention was similar for all subgroups. These results suggest that ablatio n of the adrenal cortex results in increased gastric emptying of an isosmol ar NaCl meal.