Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of Naloxone (Nx) may prove effective as a prokinetic agent in a septic model in rats. Design: 100 male Swiss-Albino rats were divided in five groups. All rats were housed under standard environmental conditions and fasted for 18 hours. Group I (n = 20) underwent sham laparotomy and intraperitoneal (IP) saline injection after 24 hours, Group II (n = 20) underwent sham laparotomy and subcutaneous (SC) fentanyl injection after 24 hours, in Group III (n = 20) sepsis was induced via caecal ligation and perforation (CLP) and IP saline injection after 24 hours, Group IV (n = 20) 24 hours after CLP, SC fentanyl was given and Group V (n = 20) 24 hours after CLP, Nx was given IP. Twenty minutes after saline or drug injections 0.25 ml of charcoal suspension was given as an intragastric meal and all rats were killed 20 minutes afterwards to measure the gastrointestinal transit (GIT) %. GIT% was calculated as the percentage of the distance travelled by charcoal relative to the total length of the small intestine. Results: GIT% (mean ± SD) were 46.2 ± 9.8, 43.2 ± 9.8, 33.2 ± 9.3, 24.9 ± 4.1, 41.3 ± 8.2 in Groups I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. The mean values of Group III and Group IV were significantly lower than the other groups. The mean value of Group V was found to be similar to the mean value of Group I. Conclusion: Fentanyl enhances the decrease in GIT seen during sepsis, possibly by an increase in the active concentration or sensitization of opioid receptors. Naloxone increases GIT in sepsis. For this reason, Nx could have a potential role as a prokinetic agent in sepsis.