Effects of an osmotically active agent on colonic transit.

Abstract

It is unknown if sorbitol, a widely used laxative agent, accelerates colonic transit, and if these effects are modified by concomitant meal ingestion. Colonic transit was assessed by (111)In scintigraphy in 40 healthy subjects. After a 24-h scan, subjects received sorbitol (30 mL of 70% solution) or dextrose (30 mL of 70% solution), administered with or without a meal. Colonic transit, breath hydrogen excretion, and symptom scores were recorded for 4 h thereafter. VAS scores for flatulence, but not other symptoms increased (P = 0.004) by 13.1 +/- 6.3 mm (mean +/- SEM) on a 100 mm scale after sorbitol alone or sorbitol with a meal (by 18.9 +/- 7.2 mm), but not after dextrose. After adjusting for GC(24), sorbitol accelerated (P < 0.001) colonic transit (GC(28) = 3.0 +/- 0.3) compared with dextrose (GC(28) = 2.2 +/- 0.2), regardless of meal ingestion. Breath hydrogen excretion was correlated with the change in colonic transit (r = 0.52, P < 0.01) and with flatulence (r = 0.45, P = 0.003) after sugar ingestion. In healthy subjects, sorbitol accelerated colonic transit and increased flatulence but not other symptoms within 4 h, regardless of meal intake.

• Authors: S M Skoog, A E Bharucha, M Camilleri, D D Burton, A R Zinsmeister
• Journal: Neurogastroenterology and motility : the official journal of the European Gastrointestinal Motility Society (Neurogastroenterol Motil) Vol. 18 Issue 4 Pg. 300-6 (Apr 2006) ISSN: 1350-1925 [Print] England
• PMID: 16553585 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Cathartics
• Sorbitol
• Hydrogen

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Breath Tests
• Cathartics (pharmacology)
• Female
• Flatulence (etiology)
• Gastric Emptying (drug effects)
• Gastrointestinal Transit (drug effects)
• Humans
• Hydrogen (analysis)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Sorbitol (pharmacology)