Effects of indomethacin, acetazolamide, ethacrynate sodium, and atropine on intestinal secretion mediated by Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin in pig jejunum

Abstract

Intraluminal perfusion of pig jejunum with Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin reversed net absorption of water and electrolytes to net secretion. Addition of atropine (2 × 10−5 M) to the perfusate reduced the secretory response to enterotoxin and enhanced sodium and chloride absorption in control segments. Indomethacin (1.4 × 10−3 M), acetazolamide (2.2 × 10−3 M), or ethacrynate sodium (3.1 × 10−4 M) had no effect. Mucosal disaccharidase activity and Na-K-ATPase activity were not altered by enterotoxin. The results suggest that blockade of cholinergically mediated secretion in the small intestine attenuates the enterosorptive effects of heat-stable enterotoxin and may be useful therapeutically in the management of secretory diarrhea.